Overlook | custom home

Style
Mountain Modern
Type
New Build
Location
Bend, Oregon
Size
3,712 sf
Architect
Karen Smuland
Photos
Kayla McKenzie

A Hillside Hideout for Daylight, Deep Breaths, and Good Company

A modern hillside home in Bend, oriented to sweeping mountain horizons and a band of evergreens that anchors the site without closing it in. The position on the hill wasn't incidental — it was the whole point.

The main kitchen, dining, and living spaces open wide to a deep covered deck, so everyday life and entertaining can spill easily outdoors. In Central Oregon, where the weather allows for nine months of real outdoor living, that connection between inside and out isn't a feature — it's the foundation of how the home works.

Warm wood ceilings, natural light, and simple, tailored finishes keep the architecture clean but never cold. Terraced landscaping steps down the hillside, creating usable outdoor space at multiple levels, while flexible guest accommodations make the home equally suited to quiet mornings and large gatherings.

The result is a home that holds the view without making a show of it — confident, grounded, and built for the way people actually live in Bend.

Modern house with a large backyard patio, illuminated at dusk with outdoor seating, plants, and a staircase leading up to the patio.
Modern house on a hillside with large windows, a spacious balcony, and landscaped garden with rocks and small shrubs, surrounded by trees at sunset.
Modern house with a covered patio, outdoor seating, and landscaped garden with rocks and shrubs.
Modern house with a multi-level staircase, landscaped garden, and wooden and concrete exterior, lit by outdoor lighting at dusk.
Outdoor patio area with a modern square fire pit and seating, overlooking trees and mountains at sunset.
View through a glass door showing potted plants outside and trees in the background, with a wooden interior wall and stair railing on the left.
Modern interior staircase with wooden steps, black metal railing, wooden wall, and large glass window letting in natural light.
Sunlit window seat with cushions, a wall sconce, and a large window with greenery outside.
A view of a balcony with outdoor dining chairs and a table, overlooking a forest with trees and mountains in the distance, taken from inside a kitchen with a sink, lime, and drink on the counter.
Modern kitchen with white wall and ceiling, hanging glass pendant lights, a large kitchen island with a black vase and greenery, and a built-in oven and shelves in the background.
Open indoor living space with large sliding glass door leading to a balcony with outdoor seating and lush green trees in the background
Modern open-concept kitchen and dining area with high ceilings, large windows overlooking greenery, a dining table with chairs, a kitchen island with bar stools, pendant and ceiling lights, and decorative plants.
Modern open-concept kitchen and dining area with large windows, sun setting over a forested landscape, a kitchen island with bar stools, a dining table with chairs, and a balcony with outdoor seating.
Living room with white armchairs, built-in wooden shelves, a flat-screen TV showing a seascape, a large potted plant, a fireplace with logs, and a coffee table with books, bright natural lighting, and high ceilings.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, marble island, bar stools with striped upholstery, and a dining table with beige chairs, overlooking a balcony with outdoor furniture and trees
Modern bedroom with large sliding glass doors covered by sheer white curtains, opening to a balcony overlooking trees, with a bed, side table, chair, and decor.
Modern bathroom with dual sinks, large oval mirrors, black wall-mounted faucets, a textured dark tile wall, vanity with wood cabinet, and a separate shower area with two black rainfall showerheads.
Modern bathroom with dual white sinks, black fixtures, and wood cabinets, mirror above each sink, dark blue tile wall, and a stool with a furry cushion.
Bright and airy studio with a kitchenette, a bed with striped pillow, and minimal decor, featuring two horizontal windows.

← See more homes