![A modern home with burnt wood siding and alcoves lined with contrasting light wood.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/dark-house-exterior-light-wood-alcoves-090321-737-01.jpg)
Sanders Pace Architecture has designed the ‘Short Mountain House’ which lies on a ridge in Maryville, Tennessee, and has panoramic views to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
![A modern home with burnt wood siding and alcoves lined with contrasting light wood.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/dark-house-exterior-light-wood-alcoves-090321-737-02.jpg)
The home, designed for a couple with an extended out-of-town family, is divided into three distinct pavilions, and integrated into the exterior facade are wood-lined alcoves inspired by Japanese ‘engawa‘ spaces.
![A modern home with burnt wood siding and alcoves lined with contrasting light wood.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/dark-house-exterior-light-wood-alcoves-090321-737-03.jpg)
Engawa spaces are covered strips of decking, often finished in wood, that run along the periphery of the house and act as a transition between the house and the garden.
![A modern home with burnt wood siding and alcoves lined with contrasting light wood.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/dark-house-exterior-light-wood-alcoves-090321-737-04.jpg)
The two contrasting wood sidings are Accoya, which has a brushed shou sugi ban finish, while the secondary lighter wood is used for the ‘engawa’ spaces.
![A modern home with burnt wood siding and alcoves lined with contrasting light wood.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/dark-house-exterior-light-wood-alcoves-090321-737-05.jpg)
Inside the home, large floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the trees and create an abundance of natural light for the hallways.
![A modern hallway with large floor to ceiling windows that frame views of the trees, and create an abundance of natural light for the hallways.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/modern-hallway-wood-floor-090321-741-06.jpg)
![A modern hallway with large floor to ceiling windows that frame views of the trees, and create an abundance of natural light for the hallways.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/hallway-with-floor-to-ceiling-windows-090321-739-09.jpg)
The open-plan living room and dining area have a vaulted ceiling, making the space feel larger.
![An open plan living room and dining area that has a vaulted ceiling, making the space feel larger.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/contemporary-living-room-090321-739-08.jpg)
![An open plan living room and dining area that has a vaulted ceiling, making the space feel larger.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/open-plan-living-room-dining-room-090321-741-07.jpg)
Another hallway connects the social areas of the home to the bedrooms and bathrooms.
![A modern hallway with light wood flooring.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/modern-hallway-wood-floor-090321-741-06a.jpg)
In one of the bedrooms, a sliding glass door opens to a private outdoor space.
![This bedroom has a sliding glass door that opens to a private outdoor space.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/modern-bedroom-sliding-glass-door-090321-739-10.jpg)
The bathroom interior also takes cues from Japanese design, with the inclusion of a deep wood soaking tub.
![A modern bathroom with a wood Japanese soaking tub.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/modern-bathroom-deep-wood-soaking-tub-090321-738-11.jpg)
![A modern bathroom with a wood Japanese soaking tub.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/modern-bathroom-deep-wood-soaking-tub-090321-738-12.jpg)
Here’s a look at the floor plan of the home that shows how it’s been divided into three pavilions connected by hallways.
![The floor plan of a modern home with hallways that connect the various areas of the interior.](https://www.contemporist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/modern-house-floor-plan-090321-738-13.jpg)