SHORELINES

9 Shor e l i n e S | 2016 Vol :3 itself any more than it has to, to live in the shadows of the trees and the banks of the lake and not change the setting." In other words, he doesn't want a house to shout McAlpine, to look flashy or overly architectural; he almost wants it to melt into the landscape with its colors, its woods, its moods. "The water is the leading star – I think anybody in the world finds great solace in water," he says. "I'm fond of the lake context because it is so richly layered. It's not as harsh as the beach, particularly on Lake Martin with its very complex shoreline. Almost everywhere you look is a beautiful layered landscape painting for your eyes. "So it's the job of the lake house basically to be a camera, to frame that landscape for you and to do it in such a way that you don't become obtrusive to your environment." With a respectful nod to the Russell Cabins, the little olive-hued mill houses from the 1930s, the architect bought two peninsulas at The Ridge on Lake Martin where he has developed a series of similarly fashioned homes. "I wanted to create a context of houses that would all wear the same clothing and were roughly the same size," he says. "They're all painted the same color – a sort of blackish brown – with wooden roofs. I looked back to my original house and did an adult version of what had been a boy's house. These houses are great friends and the people who've bought the houses have become friends, too." Right now, McAlpine is busily building an Atlanta home Above Left: Photo courtesy of SuSa n Sully – Whitewashed shiplap walls and dark-stained wood flooring create beautiful contrast. Above Right: Photo courtesy of SuSan Sully – Contrasting textures and hues make the home warm and welcoming.

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