Along the shore of Bear Lake in Northern Utah, where the water gleams a surprising Caribbean blue, a couple set out to create a sanctuary that feels like home. The pair, investing today for their eventual retirement, wanted spaces designed with their active lifestyle and six rescue dogs in mind. While they eye retirement, the home serves as a seasonal getaway and a place dedicated to what is truly important. Their vision: a Pacific Northwest–inspired retreat, shaped by light, water, and the rhythm of life with their beloved animals.
A Home That Embraces Water and Light
Set back among the Alder trees, the street-facing side of the home is protective, private, and somewhat inconspicuous. Designed to buffer the intermittent rush of summer highway noise and set the tone for relaxation, the front facade is made up of simple shed roof forms with minimal fenestration. However, from the moment of arrival, the home opens and reveals its connection to both water and light. A series of windows punctuates a thickened board-formed concrete wall that acts as a spine running the length of the home.
Openings that march down the solid concrete wall reveal an indoor pool with a courtyard beyond, and define the circulation axis from the front door to the lake. This corridor introduces a rhythm of light that guides the eye out toward the blue water while integrating functional built-in storage and a fireplace along the way.
The home is filled with natural light, a result of the central courtyard, clearstory windows, and skylights carefully aligned along the main circulation corridor. The boundaries between indoors and out are blurred, with operable glass walls that surround the courtyard and connect it to the primary suite, great room, and indoor pool. The courtyard’s south-facing orientation captures sunlight that extends the outdoor season by providing relief from the snow earlier in spring, and flexibility to leave large sliding glass doors open. Three sides of the home shelter the outdoor gathering space from strong breezes off the lake, while a wall on the far south edge of the courtyard shields the home from neighbors, creating an open outdoor space that feels protected.
Designed for a Life with Animals
For clients who share their lives with rescue dogs, many of which have special needs, every design decision began with functionality and empathy. The courtyard house form keeps the animals safely contained while maintaining sightlines to nature and the lake beyond.
When the whole “pack” walks through the home together, generous hallways allow room to trail at the heels of their people, and roam in typical dog fashion. A combined mudroom and pantry provides a practical place for feeding routines where each dog can be separated and fed individually if needed, avoiding mix-ups with medications. Durable, water-resistant flooring throughout stands up to sand, paws, and play, and a commercial-grade dog wash in the mudroom simplifies daily care and acts as a mess containment zone. Nothing feels utilitarian, yet every choice is rooted in how both humans and pets will live in the home.
Spaces for Play and Relaxation
The living area accommodates a dual gaming setup, but the room feels more like a lakeside lounge than a media space. A large kitchen island and adjacent dining area encourage gathering, while the lakefront outdoor dining terrace with a fireplace extends living space into the landscape. Board-formed concrete, running inside to out, ties it all together with a quiet continuity of form and material.
At the center, an indoor pool opens to the courtyard through a wall of sliding glass doors. In warm months, it’s a breezy connection to the outdoors; in winter, it becomes a protected oasis. Enclosing the pool wasn’t just about comfort and year-round fun; it was about safety, too, ensuring the couple’s blind or mobility-impaired dogs don’t accidentally stumble in.
Throughout the design, the owners’ fingerprints (and paw prints) are evident, making it a truly custom home to be enjoyed today and into the future.
See more photos of Bear Lake Beach House here.
