Step Inside this Multi-Structure Property with a Modern and Traditional Twist
The lakeside getaway of author Michael Punke and his wife, Traci, in Polson, Montana, is a popular spot for family and friends.
MMW Architects unified and updated the home while keeping an organic time-honored presence, with original assorted rooflines and window proportions. The black Hardie siding withstands harsh elements and blends into the landscape. | Photo: Gibeon Photography
For Montana-based couple Michael and Traci Punke and their two adult children, life becomes a party when they gather at their vacation home on the shore of Flathead Lake. “The Fourth of July is almost as important as Christmas,” Traci says, laughing. “It’s a magical time of year, as we usually have a boatload of twentysomethings staying, and we can see how the house really works.”
The couple bought the property, which consisted of four small structures set on a steep site, in 2020. With ties to an original 1940s cabin, the place was grandfathered into what is now coveted waterside proximity. Local covenants dictated renovation restrictions: The roofline height and overall square footage could not be altered. The Punkes challenged Angie Lipski of MMW Architects with transforming 2,571 square feet of interior living space on their multi-structure property.
An antique dining table Lipski had retrofitted by shortening the legs, sits atop an indoor- outdoor Selby rug by Room & Board in a guest sitting area. | Photo: Gibeon Photography
“It was one of those old cobbled-together spaces that needed to be reworked to make sense,” Lipski says of her task. Prime among her focus was balancing social with solace, through areas for gathering versus rooms for retreat. Michael, celebrated author of The Revenant, also needed a quiet place to work, without being cut off from the rest of the residence.
In addition, Lipski had to accommodate various style preferences: Traci leans toward a modern-yet-traditional feel, while Michael is inclined to more rustic surroundings.
A Piaf Linear suspension light by Visual Comfort Signature, hangs above an antique table which had the apron cut down to make more leg space. | Photo: Gibeon Photography
MMW Architects evaluated the circulation of the existing footprint and reworked it to sensibly connect the interior spaces and maximize lake views. Two bedrooms, a bunk room, and a kitchen, living and dining room make up the main house, with Michael’s study, a secondary kitchen, a bedroom and a hangout spot in the original boathouse.
Two additional kitchenettes invite guests to make breakfast and lunch at their leisure, with dinners planned to be communal affairs. Ample areas for relaxation flood the property inside and out, conceived to maximize the daily nuances of changing light and weather patterns.
Blue-painted Dutch doors were installed at the entryway of the main house and the boathouse, as another finer detail to connect the overall aesthetic. | Photo: Gibeon Photography
“The sun shines on the different decks at different times of the day,” Traci says. “I love that we can sit out at night around the fireplace on the upper deck and chat until late.” Traci, a former interior designer, rekindled her stylist eye to curate the family’s treasured holiday house. “I like spaces to feel warm and inviting, but fresh with clean lines,” she says. Her color palette features simple whites and Farrow & Ball’s Parma Gray, with blue and green tones in cohesion with the surrounding landscape.
In addition, she chose a whitewash for the upper walls to unify the property, and applied strategic touches such as arched doorways and shiplap finishes to instill the cottage character. “It’s a small house, but I think the details pack a punch.”
Custom cabinets painted in Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White flank the Lacanche range. | Photo: Gibeon Photography
The boathouse was earmarked as a studio for Michael’s writing. A natural wood finish for the ceiling, Western-inspired wallpaper, dark cabinetry and a wood-burning stove satisfy his request for rustic styling. Boat rails in the lower portion of the building were saved, and that space was transformed into a hangout spot. “Everyone is at the property to play,” Traci says. “Our home in Missoula is very private and isolated in the woods, so when we come here, it is to be social.” At capacity, the house can accommodate 14 guests for sleeping. “Every space was used,” Lipski says.
The property comes to life in the summer months but lures the Punkes away from their landlocked locale throughout the year. In winter, temperatures can drop well below zero, so a hardy shingle siding was chosen for the exterior. Finished in a black stain, the structures recede into their natural setting. “The purpose of being at the lake is to be outside,” Traci says. “We get to play, and when we are done, we have somewhere for everyone to sleep. That’s a good day in my book.”
A custom bunk room was created in the lower level of the main house. | Photo: Gibeon Photography
An Office with a View
The Punkes’ lakeside getaway is the perfect vacation spot for the family, but an office in the boathouse was designed specifically for Michael, the author of The Revenant, to write.
White painted shiplap was used throughout for the ceilings, with the exception of barnwood for Michael’s office in the boathouse. Club chairs in Fermoie fabric add to the Western feel. | Photo: Gibeon Photography
KEEPING CONNECTED: Traci tried to mirror Michael’s home office in Missoula with a fireplace, prominent desk and huge windows for inspiration. “The space provides a good balance,” Michael says. “I can run off and do a little work while still seeing all of the activity on the lake—including great wildlife.” The top portion of a Dutch door in the entryway is often kept open as a way to make people feel welcome and keep him feeling attached.
EMBRACING PERSONALITY: “You should be able to tell a lot about the person’s personality, hobbies and interests when you walk into a space,” Traci says. “In this case, lots of books, mementos and artwork (Native American art, traps and even a racoon pelt) reflect Michael’s aesthetic.” Wallpaper and club chairs in Western-inspired designs cement his appreciation of the American West.
A PLACE TO BRAINSTORM: A large wood-topped table gives ample room to spread out papers and research material. A velvet sofa and chairs give visiting writers a spot to sit and chat during occasional collaborative discussions.
A guest bedroom with views over the lake opens onto a private deck. The outdoor space often doubles as a favorite spot for pre-dinner cocktails due to its shady location later in the day.
LAKESIDE LIVING
Architect Angie Lipski offers a little insight into the meticulous planning phases and considerations behind this lakeside remodel.
CONNECTING STRUCTURES: “The circulation was bonkers when we arrived to the project,” Angie begins. “With lake places, you’re either in the house or by the water typically.” Creating an experiential sense of arrival to both, coupled with a seamless transition both horizontally and vertically throughout the site, was paramount in the initial drawing phase.
BLENDING PAST AND PRESENT: “Many parts of the exterior don’t actually perfectly match such as roof slopes and proportions of windows. Angie continues. “We looked at these aspects as the organic way old lake homes grow over time.”
A SENSE OF PLACE: “When a project is on the lake, most of the decks and outdoor spaces are designed to engage and become at one with the water,” she says. “There is a place for morning coffee, to take a call or do a little work.” Decks or landing areas occupy every level of the structures, designed to maximize a connection to the lake regardless of the elements. “Watching a storm roll in across the water in the off seasons is also a lovely moment, especially when tucked inside the cottage spaces.”
DESIGN DETAILS
ARCHITECTURE – MMW Architects
CONSTRUCTION – JM Moran Construction
