A Lovely Wooden House On A Big Rock Ledge

A large rock ledge overlooking the valley in Cornwall, U.S. provided studio Desai Chia Architecture with the perfect site for building a beautiful house on. The lot was previously occupied by an existing cabin that the new owners did not approve of. The cabin was thus removed but the foundation was reused and expanded for the new structure. In 2019 this wonderful project was completed and this is how it looks like. Instead of the small and dated cabin, there’s now a slightly bigger and more airy house with a simple design inspired by the rural barns in this area as well as by the structural elements featured by the historic West Cornwall Covered Bridge.

The overall design of the house is fairly symmetrical, featuring large openings on opposite walls
The overall design of the house is fairly symmetrical, featuring large openings on opposite walls
The house sits on top of a rock ledge, with a beautiful forest on one side and a stunning valley on the other
The house sits on top of a rock ledge, with a beautiful forest on one side and a stunning valley on the other

By expanding the existing foundation the architects brought the house closer to a large boulder which had been brought to the site a long time ago by the glaciers in the Appalachian Mountains. The boulders has become a wonderful focal point for the house. The architects used environmentally-friendly materials throughout the project and gave it a simple and fairly modest appearance. The exterior is clad in Shou Sugi Ban siding and the dark gable roof matches its overall look. In comparison, the interior is very bright and airy. Large openings are strategically oriented towards the valley and mirrored on the other side where they frame the large bounders and the forest.

The living room, dining area and the kitchen are placed at the center of the house and combined into a large open space
The living room, dining area and the kitchen are placed at the center of the house and combined into a large open space
The boulder was deposited here by the glaciers and has become one of the focal points of this project
The boulder was deposited here by the glaciers and has become one of the focal points of this project
Open terraces and decks take full advantage of the views towards the valley
Open terraces and decks take full advantage of the views towards the valley
The dark wooden exterior of the house helps it blend into the landscape more easily
The dark wooden exterior of the house helps it blend into the landscape more easily
The eat-in kitchen and the living area are divided by a minimalist two-sided fireplace
The eat-in kitchen and the living area are divided by a minimalist two-sided fireplace
The tall ceiling creates a very breezy and airy atmosphere throughout the house
The tall ceiling creates a very breezy and airy atmosphere throughout the house
The interior is simple, modern and color neutral which puts more emphasis on the views
The interior is simple, modern and color neutral which puts more emphasis on the views
One side of the house has two bedrooms for guests, easily accessible from the living areas
One side of the house has two bedrooms for guests, easily accessible from the living areas
The master bedroom is on the opposite side, giving the owners and their guests maximum privacy
The master bedroom is on the opposite side, giving the owners and their guests maximum privacy
A large frameless mirror with LED backlighting created a very soothing ambiance in the bathroom
A large frameless mirror with LED backlighting created a very soothing ambiance in the bathroom