Michael and Radka Winwood’s home at The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards posed a unique challenge for lead architect Evan Cantrell of MHK Architecture.
“The Winwoods wanted to maximize the views of the lake, but the lot is both tight and steep,” Cantrell says. “The challenge early on was studying the site and optimizing the home’s footprint.”
In the end, Cantrell and his team opted to work with, not against, the lot’s challenging contours, nestling the L-shaped structure into the site in a way that maximizes space and capitalizes on the views.
“We designed a main level, and then there is a lower level that you can walk out of to enjoy the hot tub or fire pit,” he says. “We added another two rooms over the garage.”
The 8,800-square-foot home ushers guests from the large front porch, through the foyer, and into a great room that is equal parts dining room, living room, and outdoor living space. “[The Winwoods] do a lot of entertaining, so that main space was a focal point,” Cantrell says.
According to Michael Winwood, his family of six based their vision for this mountain modern home on their experience with their first Lake Keowee home, just a few minutes away. “We bought the first home thinking we weren’t exactly sure how much we would use it, so we kept it small,” he says. “We soon found we were not only always there, but we were always packed in with friends and family, so we decided to go larger.”
Winwood says the overall design concept is rooted in a Lake Tahoe home plan that Cantrell took and expanded on, and as the men walked the Lake Keowee lot, surveying the various angles, views, and contours, the home began taking shape.
“Evan said he wanted to try to introduce a little more outdoor living into the concept,” Winwood notes. “And it’s been spectacular.”
Beautiful Views
Now, a little more than two years in, Winwood does not hesitate to point out the home’s best feature. “It’s the views—they are amazing, and they change every day,” he says. “One day, it’s a beautiful sunset. The next, it may be a huge thunderstorm rolling in over the mountains. It never gets boring.”
Inside, the home offers 6 bedrooms, a bunkroom, and 5.5 bathrooms for family and guests to enjoy, as well as a family room and a full bar downstairs that open onto an outdoor area. There is also a fitness room and a wine room.
The wood-burning fireplace on the main floor rises two stories and comes with a nook for holding fresh-cut wood. Cantrell sees this fireplace as a key design element.
“Designing the fireplace, the main entry, and the stone as it comes into the house and wraps around the kitchen table area and then flows into the outdoor living space—it’s all meant to pull you into the outstanding views,” says Cantrell. “There’s one image—taken at night—where you can see straight through the house to the water in the background, and that was the vision.”
Bringing People Together at this The Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards Home
As for the vision of bringing friends and family together, Winwood says the main-level kitchen area draws them like a magnet. “We often just open the accordion doors separating both the kitchen and great room from the outdoor living area, and that really opens up the entire space. It’s where everyone tends to gather, especially in the cooler months.”
The home represents the family’s love of bringing people together, while also making space to reflect.
“We built it for family and friends,” Winwood says. “And we took the time to really make it a place for them to be together and yet have space to enjoy some quiet time, too.”
