HOME PROFILE
Photos by Benj Drummond
Between meadow and mountain Mazama-area home blends naturally into its surroundings BY SHEL L E Y SMI T H J O NES
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n 2005, Meredith and Chase bought a parcel of land located in Phase 2 of Walt Foster’s planned development. They chose the Last Chance Road property in Mazama after coming to the Methow for many years to enjoy the plethora of outdoor activities that they loved such as hiking, cross-country skiing, and camping.
Methow Home 2025
Their dream was to one day build a home on the lovely property and bring the feel of the outdoors into a sustainable abode. As the saying goes: Life is a river and not a lake. After nearly 20 years of savoring the property in its natural state, life transitions brought Meredith and Chase to the juncture where their dream began to take root. The transition: becoming empty nesters as their youngest child headed off to college in the fall of 2024. As their ideas of what the house would look like swirled in their heads, they began their search for
an architect who could incorporate what was important to them and design a home that not only met their needs but also displayed their passion for sustainability.
Finding an architect Chase and Meredith learned of Johnston Architects located locally in Twisp with its main office in Seattle. They were able to view the notable homes in the Methow Valley that Johnston had designed. Partners in architecture, Ray and Mary Johnston have a long history in the Methow since they were introduced to the valley in the late 1980s
by their friend John Crowl. They designed and built John’s cabin on the north side of Mill Hill just north of Twisp. They frequently stayed in the cabin when John shifted his attention to a place in Montana, often leaving his cabin vacant. After a few years of becoming acquainted with the valley from Mazama to French Creek, they purchased property and built what Johnston describes as a “modest box of a cabin.” Twenty years after buying their property and 32 years after their first visit, they moved full-time to the Methow. Johnston said, “Over those years
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