The Octagon House

Designed by Laughing Sun, this Alabama lake house presented many challenges: from the inherent shape, to the structural load, to the sweeping circular stairs, to the desire for lake views. Design could not be rushed and a full calendar year passed before the design was fully realized. Still, once construction began on the house, many elements were re-drawn & re-designed to maximize space considerations and incorporate built-ins and other unusual elements.

Green Building: As signature of our company since our founding, we strive to create habitable art that leaves a small footprint on the earth. Much of this new structure was crafted from salvaged or found house parts headed for the country landfill. The finish details includes reclaimed heart pine floors from 5 or 6 Atlanta houses being torn down, reclaimed mahogany entry way doors, 21 reclaimed old doors and antique hardware, several houses worth millwork literally headed for the dumpster, Cotton Mill beams that we rescued and re-milled, rescued medicine cabinets, stair parts including banisters, newel posts, and treads. We rescued lighting fixtures and hardware from demolished houses in the Atlanta area, antique plumbing fixtures like the clawfoot tub, antique sinks, and old stained glass. We found and installed old beveled leaded glass windows in the basement area. All of the coffered beams, judges panels, built-ins, and kitchen cabinetry were custom milled using reclaimed flooring joists and Cotton Mill flooring. Even the dining room table was milled from salvaged heart of pine flooring joists from an old Atlanta house being demolished. Adding to our energy conservation, we installed all Energy Star appliances, hyper insulated the walls, floors, and attic. We installed eight motorized windows in the cupola that operate on a remote control and work on the “chimney effect” which allows the heat to rise and move out the upper cupola windows. It’s passive cooling at its best. The yard has been landscaped using zeriscape or ecoscape techniques to battle drought and conserve water. The forest is maintained at the front of the house leading to the lake with the buffer of a self-sustaining wild flower meadow and drought resistant plants and trees planted at the perimeter of the octagon. When building, we preserved as many trees as possible to shade the house and maintain the wildlife found within.

Finish details were designed as the house was built. Examples of these include the judges paneled catwalk, kitchen cabinets and counters, heart of pine wrapped beams, and imported glass and stone tile. The master bathroom was featured in the November 2007 issue of Atlanta Home Improvement Magazine and the entire home was featured in the July 2008 Lake Wedowee Magazine.