Lantern House on Puget Sound, Washington

Lantern House on Puget Sound, Washington, USA

June 27, 2026

Architecture: Syndicate Smith Architects

Location: Case Inlet, Washington, United States of America

Lantern House: The Light at the End of a 14-Year Story

Photos by Will Austin

A modern island home by Syndicate Smith balances light, landscape, and lasting connection.

(Case Inlet, WA) 2026 — Along Puget Sound on a slender island—home to just 250 residences—Lantern House by Washington-based firm Syndicate Smith opens a new chapter for Joe and Kristie Berg and their two daughters. As a teenager, Kristie was introduced to the island through a friend’s family cabin, and years later, when the neighboring property came up for sale—a rare event in the tight-knit enclave—she and her husband, Joe, seized the opportunity.

The 600-square-foot 1950s Pan-Abode structure became their family’s treasured retreat. Thirteen years later, with their daughters grown, they set out to preserve its spirit while creating space for the next chapter.

Reluctant to remodel the original cabin and risk losing the memories it held, the couple chose instead to preserve it as a guest house, relocating it to a lot across the street. In its place on the waterfront, they envisioned a modern retreat—open to family and friends, attuned to the landscape, and shaped by a blend of Pacific Northwest modernism and wabi-sabi sensibility. They turned to Syndicate Smith after coming across one of their projects in Leavenworth, WA, where the firm is located and coincidentally the Bergs spend the holidays.

Working closely with Kristie, Syndicate Smith designed a home defined by light, craft, and experience. Following the footprint of the original cabin, the new structure sits close to the shoreline. To accommodate the realities of a changing climate—and the exceptionally high King Tides that occur a few times each year when the sun, moon, and Earth align—the house was raised slightly on a porous foundation that allows water to move safely beneath.

Framed by the island’s oldest redwood tree, the entry announces the home with quiet drama. Kristie envisioned the lantern-like threshold as a gesture of light—a suspended constellation that guides visitors inside. The double-height space heightens the effect, while a perforated steel scrim diffuses the lanterns’ glow beyond. The double-height concept is mirrored inside, where a window skylight channels daylight deep into the home’s core.

Outdoor living was essential to the design—a reflection of the Bergs’ deep connection to the water. Expansive decks, terraces, and a covered fireplace blur the line between inside and out, creating a place to watch the sun rise over Puget Sound or gather with friends long after sunset.

Inside, warm woods, textured surfaces, and carefully framed light bring the landscape’s character indoors. Every bedroom opens to the outdoors and frames views of the Sound, while discreet storage for bikes, paddleboards, and yard games supports the family’s love of movement and play.

Across the street, the relocated cabin endures as a beloved guesthouse—its cedar walls still carved with the names of Joe and Kristie’s daughters from their youth. It holds the memory of the family’s first chapter on the island, while the new home looks ahead, built for the next generation of gatherings, celebrations, and slow mornings by the water. Together, the two structures create a retreat rooted in memory and shaped by a lasting bond with place.

Lantern House on Puget Sound, Washington, USA – Property Information

Project Details

Location: Case Inlet, Washington

Area: Lot Size: 0.28 Acres

House Footprint: 2,017 sf

Total Interior: 4,106 sf

Architect: Syndicate Smith

Architectural Design Team: Todd Smith, Principal Architect

Brian Hackworth, Project Manager

Laurel Podlich, Architectural Designer

Hannah Hering, Interior Designer

Contractor: Phil Stuen, Dephiance Design-Build

Structural Engineer: BTL Engineering

Photographer: Will Austin

Syndicate Smith

Founded in 2010, Syndicate Smith is a full-service architecture and interior design studio based in Leavenworth, Washington, USA. Known for its distinctive, high-quality homes and hospitality spaces, the firm draws inspiration from the state’s diverse geography—from arid plains and wooded foothills to alpine villages and coastal inlets.

With a nimble, collaborative approach, Syndicate Smith embraces the unique character of each project’s setting to create spaces deeply rooted in place. Whether crafting a modern retreat or a playful public destination, the studio brings thoughtfulness, adaptability, and a touch of the unexpected to every project.

Learn more at www.syndicatesmith.com, and follow along on Instagram.

Lantern House at Case Inlet design by Syndicate Smith Architects, Washington images / information received 260626

Location: Seattle, Washington, United States of America.