A Pennsylvania Home Hidden Among the Trees

Hidden among the trees on a wooded lot, a former industrial site in Willow Street, Pa., has been reimagined into a contemporary hillside retreat. The 4,900-square-foot custom home, fittingly dubbed “Treetops,” was constructed and designed by Lancaster, Pa.-based TONO Group.

With their all-in-one approach to building and design, Kyle Solyak of TONO Group says the firm was able to work collaboratively across departments to achieve their clients' dream of creating a home that blends in with the trees. 

“Their whole idea was that they essentially wanted to be in their living spaces and be looking into the tree canopy, not into the base of the treeline,” says Solyak.

“That’s what our goal was with the project—to make you feel like you are among the trees. So, all the glazing, how it's oriented, how [the home] works into the hillside, takes that into consideration so that you feel like you're at the top of the hill in the treeline.”

Making a Home Among the Trees

To blend the home with the surrounding forest, the structure is centered around a series of cantilevered forms with a mono-pitch roof rising to the north. By playing with the home's orientation and massing, the project team was able to extend the home’s interior spaces into the surrounding tree canopy itself.

“The shape was dictated by the imagery [the clients] provided to us of the styles they liked and based on some other homes that we have done,” says Solyak. “We took that and really tried to utilize the form of the site."

Insides that Match the Outside

The trees are meant to be enjoyed from the inside as well as the outside. In the bedroom, floor-to-ceiling windows achieve this while also allowing daylight to flow throughout the space. 

Other spaces, including the main living room, take a similar approach, with large windows and sliding doors. 

The surrounding views are complimented by a palette of rich, warm neutrals and natural materials throughout. Anchored by custom-fabricated and locally crafted furnishings and fixtures, the organic design is balanced by bold details and metallic finishes that modernize the space. 

“It doesn't feel oversized. It doesn't feel out of scale. It's got a great warmth to it, but you have a very modern feel in the space," says Solyak. 

Low Maintenance, Easy Living

With surrounding views this calming, it was important for the clients that the home also support a carefree and low-maintenance lifestyle. 

A home automation system was integrated into the design, including smart operation of lighting, HVAC, and security systems. Proximity sensing and voice-activated technology throughout the home make the system convenient to use, while features such as touchless shading and light sequencing support well-being and enhance energy efficiency.

The home also incorporates a number of other energy-efficient and low maintenance building materials, including a precast concrete foundation, engineered wood framing, and a geo-thermal heating and cooling system.

Collaborative Efforts Brought the Home to Life

While many custom home projects require collaboration between multiple firms, TONO Group’s integrated approach to building and design helped keep the home on track from the jump. According to Solyak, TONO Group provided a single-source solution, leading the design, construction, and the curation of interiors.

He also notes that having their construction team on board from the beginning allowed the firm to work through design concepts and cost estimates in real time, making decisions as they went and staying aligned with the clients' goals throughout the project. 

“The part that I enjoy is being able to be involved in the design and then cross it over into construction," he says. "We get to be part of both and have control over both of those processes. That way, the end product that is designed is also the end product that is delivered.”

Project Details:

Location: Willow Street, Pa.

Area: 4,900 square feet

Construction: TONO Group

Design: TONO Group