Come sunshine or snow, smart design translates into an enjoyable timber home retreat -- no matter the weather.

AQUATIC addicts by summer and downhill daredevils by winter, John and Karen knew exactly what they wanted when they decided to build their timber home retreat: a place to ski. They found the perfect spot overlooking New Hampshire's Lake Sunapee and built a 4,000-square-foot home. It boasts a clever design, which has allowed the couple to host large family gatherings and social events and, of course, enjoy outdoor sports year-round.

"We wouldn't change a thing about our home," says Karen, whose mind was set on an open floor plan that combines the kitchen, dining area and family room into one flowing space. Mimicking the floor plan of the home's predecessor, a small cottage they'd owned for five years on the same site, John and Karen worked with Claremont, New Hampshire-based Davis Frame Co. to bring their timber home vision to life.

The company produced a customized "H" design plan, with three frames that come together in the middle to create the shape of the interior living space, surrounded by porches and decks.

"The cottage had a similar layout," says Karen, "so we took what we loved about that tiny cottage and expanded it into a larger, timber home."

Dreams Realized

To make their dream of a larger home a reality, they purchased the house next door to their cottage and found themselves the owners of 1.2 acres of lakefront property. Then they were ready to build.

But the couple didn't take the plunge without carefully weighing all their options. In fact, before selecting Davis Frame to craft their four-bedroom, three-bath second home, John and Karen looked at a number of timber home styles and interviewed several providers. Karen says their final decision was based on product quality and the firm's ability to provide flexible floor plans that encompassed the couple's individual preferences.

To bring the home's design to life, Davis Frame used common rafter collar ties for the center section of the house, which contains the kitchen and dining area and timber-framed entry. Flanking either side of this center section are the living room and master bedroom areas, both framed with Hammer beam trusses. Using Douglas fir timbers and roof boards, Davis Frame chamfers the edges of the beams, and then applies tongue oil to protect the wood and enhance the grain.

Outside, the home is a merger of wood siding and stone, a perfect harmonization with its wooded waterfront locale. A large, square dock provides enough room for socializing after a day of boating.

Fine Details

To build their home, John and Karen selected a Davis Frame-preferred builder who has constructed about 30 timber frame homes. "We wanted someone with a proven track record in this type of product," says Karen. The couple interviewed several contractors in the area and chose R.D. Webb & Son Construction.

Working with the couple's design, Rick Webb quickly found himself meeting several unusual requests. For one, the owners wanted a walkout basement, but had a level lot.

To meet their needs, the contractor created a sloped, stone walkway leading up to the home's front door. "They didn't want it to look like a two-story home," explains Jeff Davis, president of Davis Frame, who adds that subsequent landscaping and basement awning windows helped create the effect the couple was looking for.

Another surprise waiting for Rick was the couple's request to import several interior doors from New Mexico to match the home's Douglas fir interior. Unaccustomed to ordering such high-ticket items sight unseen, Rick says he mailed off a $15,000 check to an unknown vendor, hoping that the product would arrive in time and in good shape. "It was a little scary, not knowing who I was dealing with," says Rick, who adds that in the end, the order came through just fine, and the doors exceeded the couple's expectations.

With hardwood flooring in the common areas, ceramic tile in the foyers, hallways, and mudroom, and wall-to-wall carpet in the bedrooms, the home can easily handle the bustling foot traffic a waterfront vacation home endures. The materials clean easily, and the natural colors help to hide sand and silt between cleanings.

To keep the home comfortable in the winter, the family room's fieldstone, wood-burning fireplace augments the home's oil-fired furnace and is illuminated with rustic lighting, including a number of droplights, as seen throughout the home.

In the kitchen, Patti Ross, owner of Timeless Kitchens in New London, New Hampshire, designed the custom cabinetry in two different styles. The bottom bank of cabinets is faced with beadboard for a subtle coastal feel. The top row bears the simplicity of Shaker style, placing emphasis on nooks and other detailing. All of this is set off by azure Corian countertops -- a nod to the crystal-blue lake just outside.

As for the rest of the home's interior decorating, the owners took up the charge. They selected furniture and materials that convey the open-yet-warm feel a vacation retreat should have.

Chilling Out

John and Karen, who are currently considering a second garage for boat storage, say they're pleased with their home, particularly its open design which, for one event, accommodated a crowd of 19 comfortably.

The view of the lake is beyond compare, according to Karen, who enjoys being able to relax with a good book while listening to the home's built-in sound system. It integrates the TV, VCR, and stereo and is piped throughout the main floor and outside.

"Our home lends itself to easy, casual entertainment where large numbers of people can all interact at the same time, but it also meets our own personal needs to relax, ski, and enjoy the lake," says Karen. "We spend as much time here as we can."