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Request SamplesModern Northwest Living: Orondo WA Residence Featuring Artisan Glacier Grey
Posted on: September 25, 2025
A Riverfront Retreat Rooted in Place
Overlooking the Columbia River in Orondo, Washington, this home draws directly from its rugged basalt rock and desert surroundings. The design uses a unified material palette to achieve a seamless balance between a modern aesthetic and its natural setting. Montana Timber Products supplied the full wood package (interior and exterior) including: siding, trim, beams, fascia, soffits, and interior accents — all finished to create a complete visual cohesion.
PROJECT DETAILS
Location
Orondo, WA 98843
Architect
JWR Design
Interior Designer
Kasabella (Kassi Clark)
Photographer
Joshua Collins
PRODUCTS & APPLICATIONS
| Application | Dimensions / Species | Texture / Profile |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior Siding | 1×8 STK Cedar | Raked Ship Lap (Vertical) |
| Soffits | 1×6 STK Cedar | Raked Ship Lap, ¼” Rev |
| Fascia / Trim | 1×4 to 2×10 STK Cedar | Raked Square Edge |
| Frieze Board | 2×8 STK Cedar | Raked Square Edge |
| Window / Door Trim | 2×2 STK Cedar | Raked Square Edge |
| Garage Door Trim | 2×4 to 2×6 STK Cedar | Raked Square Edge |
| Columns | 10×10 & 12×12 Doug Fir | Re-Sawn Square Edge |
| Rafters / Braces | 6×6 & 6×8 Doug Fir | Re-Sawn Square Edge |
| Beams | 6×8 to 8×14 Doug Fir | Re-Sawn Square Edge |
| Car Decking | 2×6 Doug Fir | Raked T&G |
| Interior Accents / Sliding Doors | Cedar & Fir (varied sizes) | Repurposed Profiles |
SPECIES + GRADE
FINISH & PRODUCT LINE
Product Line: ranchwood™ Artisan
Finish Color: Glacier Grey
The entire package, across both species, was finished in our ranchwood™ Artisan Glacier Grey. This finish was chosen for its layered, weathered tones that echo the Columbia River’s basalt cliffs. Its ability to blend with the natural stone landscape while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic makes it an ideal complement to both siding and structural elements. By applying the same finish across a range of profiles and sizes, the design achieves a sense of material cohesion.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
Orondo Residence: A Modern Home Grounded in Nature
- Landscape Inspiration: Grey tones resonate with the Columbia River’s rock formations, grounding the home in its setting.
- Cohesion Across Applications: From broad siding runs to fine trim details, all wood elements share a unified tone.
- Texture & Craftsmanship: Raked and re-sawn surfaces introduce warmth and depth to the home’s clean architectural lines.
- Interior–Exterior Dialogue: Interior beams, wood wall accents – including sliding barn doors, and a custom fireplace mantel extend the exterior palette indoors, creating a cohesive, balanced design that enhances the home’s connection to nature.
THE RESULT
A Modern Home That Belongs to Its Natural Landscape
The Orondo Residence demonstrates how a thoughtful material palette can elevate architectural design. Unified by a single finish, the home achieves both strength and subtlety, grounding it in the rugged Columbia River Basin while offering a modern living space.
Would you consider this an example of biophilic design or does the perfectly manicured monoculture lawn element, pool, and concrete driveway disqualify us from this trendy call out?
The Core Idea: What is Biophilia?
The concept is rooted in the “biophilia hypothesis,” a theory popularized by biologist E.O. Wilson. He suggested that humans have an innate, genetic affinity for nature. For most of our history, we lived in direct contact with natural environments, and our physical and mental well-being is deeply tied to that connection. In our modern, urbanized world, this link is often severed, leading to stress, fatigue, and a host of other issues.
Does Modern Landscaping Distract From Core Biophilic Principles?
The key to biophilic design is not about rejecting modern elements, but about re-imagining them to work with nature, not against it. A design can be both modern and biophilic, as long as it prioritizes a human-nature connection. And connecting with your body for a delightful swim paired with bocci ball competitions surely checks that box for us at Montana Timber Products.
Exterior Gallery
Interior Gallery
