Property of Mr. and Mrs. Roy M. Halsey, Lake Washington, Seattle | architect Paul Thiry

When Mr. and Mrs. Roy M. Halsey shopped for a lot on which to build a house, they did so by boat. The site they found on Lake Washington about 15 miles from Seattle fulfilled their conditions: it looked attractive from the water and their 36-foot motor-sailer could dock conveniently close. Fitting a house which would look unpretentious yet be eminently efficient to this steep, narrow strip was the job of architect Paul Thiry. As in yacht-building, everything is planned for compactness but with no sacrifice of working space. This latter includes a large workshop beyond the court and a lower-level game room where the owners’ 14-year-old son keeps his Penguin Class sloop. A dining area connects living room and kitchen, serves as passage for outdoor meals. Against the rains of the Northwest there is plenty of roofed-over space, including a carport which, for parties, can be connected with the court by swinging back partition-doors. Since closing this house, which fits so well their easy way of life, is a minimum of trouble, the Halseys can go on vacation cruises at short notice.