Georgia Home

After living abroad for some time, this family asked Cook Architectural to build them their final dream home. The residence in a Georgia forest became a contemporary take on a cabin in the woods.

Privacy and connectivity

“The owners wanted a house that was cozy for the two of them to live in, but also ready to accommodate family and other guests”, says Charles S. Cook, principal. “That balance between privacy and connectivity was central to the architecture. We designed it so that it doesn’t read as a large home. There are no redundant spaces, every square metre on the main floor is of daily use to the owners. Guests find plenty of room in the guest house above the garage, which is detached but connected by a roofed ‘breezeway’.”

Based in thoughtfulness

Creating a comfortable environment, intuitive and responding to the owners’ personality, is Cook’s main goal. “Our approach to a project is not about imposing a singular style, it’s an approach based in thoughtfulness. It’s about balancing the clients’ needs with the particular site. In this case it’s a beautiful lakeside property in the woods, so making the spaces flow from the inside to the outside was very important. Among other things, we used large glass panels and outdoor decks with retractable screens.”

Driving factor

The owners lived in Europe for some time, and the design reflects a European aesthetic. Cook: “The walls are very white and clean, almost stark. We used the beautiful wood floor to counterbalance that. The wide planks and the unique grain make it a driving factor of the design. Besides the visual beauty it also adds a warmth, even a physical comfort to the home. The result is a very clean and simple design that’s still warm and inviting.”