August 7, 2026

The Sanctuary by Mindful Designs

Project by: Mindful Designs
Home Square Footage: 6,738
Exterior Decks and Patios Square Footage: 2,508
Rooftop Green Roof Square Footage: 6,380
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 6
Location: Lakeside, MT

This is the kind of home that asks alluring architecture to lower its voice and let the natural environment be the star of the show. Set on the edge of Flathead Lake, adorned with rocky coastline, wind-swept trees, and a landscape already rich with natural textures, the project’s essence lies not in pomp, but rather in restraint. Its ambition is unmistakable: to create a lasting lakefront retreat that feels less placed on the site than discovered within it.

The design language is rooted in a rare kind of humility. Stone, wood, steel, glass, flagstone, green roofs, and carefully handled grading are not merely finish choices; they are a reflection of the natural elements that speak to the homeowner – Serge. Serge came to us with eyes wide open, wanting to respect the quiet-ness of place while allowing for friends and family to come gather and enjoy… his Sanctuary. We were honored, and we stepped up to help design and build one of our greatest residential masterpieces.

The main residence, conceived around rock and stone, appears almost lowered into the earth. Bedrock is invited inside near the stairs and allowed to remain just beyond the glass, and the decks, and the oversize custom basalt lined hot tub. The vegetation and its relationship to this rugged coastline serve as a reminder of the uniqueness of this homesite.

What makes the Sanctuary project compelling is its insistence that the builder, and design team act as stewards before they act as makers. First and foremost, the goal was to survey and protect every stone and tree possible. This was achieved by the builder with a matrix of tree protection methods, root zones, naturalized grading, earthen materials paths, with rock cliffs and natural stone serving as the site constraint, instead of conventional retaining walls.

The green roof serves as a defining tribute to the nature that surrounds the home. Adorned with crushed rock paths, native vegetation and driftwood relocated from the shoreline. This designed space camouflages the home from above, making it almost unrecognizable from the air.

Inside, not a square foot of drywall is present. Instead, a rich mélange of woods, stone and glass are featured in this home. Uniquely designed with minimal pulls and hardware, the lines across the home are honest and clean. The level of craftsmanship, forethought, and dedication required to achieve such tight tolerances is extraordinary. This challenge far exceeds the standards of 99.9% of high-end residential construction. And this attention to detail, paired with the striking scenery just outside the glass, creates dramatic moments in which the occupant can find themselves just staring at the beauty they are surrounded by – both inside and outside the walls.

The home features 4 bedrooms including a family friendly bunk room. Each bedroom is paired with a private bathroom. A large chef’s kitchen and two other food preparation areas disperse the traffic in the main kitchen when guests abound.

The living space includes a unique window wall that electronically retracts to open a corner of the house to expansive views of the lake. The high-performance glass from Glo windows is so thick that an industrial crane needed to be brought in to place the glass. Upon closing, air locks fill with air to ensure the seal between the glass pieces is snug. It is this type of craftsmanship, that harkens back to bygone days, married with the best of modern tech that allows this home to elevate above the highest standards in performance. SAVs partnership on lighting, sound, shades and much more cannot be understated. This home is quietly a masterpiece of threading loads of critical technology into a comfortable and mindful home.

All this and a wood-fired sauna, a wood burning fireplace, a custom 16 person hot tub, a media room that fits 25, and details so well sewn together by the builder regularly make people stop in awe when they walk through the custom 4” door. Welcome to the Sanctuary – a place to thrive with friends and family.