Methow Home: A Casita Debut
/by Natalie Johnston for Methow Home
As with many people, down time spent at home during the early months of the COVID-10 pandemic got architects Ray and Mary Johnston thinking about home improvements. It also found the Seattle-based architects spending more time than ever in their Methow Valley vacation home, which they built about 20 years ago.
“The pandemic kind of freed us up to shift our living,” Ray Johnston said. Instead of being here 30% of the time, we reversed that and we’re here most of the time in the valley. It’s really our home now.”
An open floor plan is comfortable for two people, but the Johnstons realized they needed more space, and started looking for options. Being architects, they took the opportunity to be creative and build something totally new — a concept they call the “Casita.”
Literally a little house, the casita is a combined guest house, extra work space and relaxing post-ski sauna for the Johnstons. Far in the future it could be housing for a caregiver.
