The dining room is steps from the kitchen and opens to a view of ferry traffic. A number of custom-made furnishings in the house, including this table, came from local artisans via the Gallery of Fine Woodworking in Pioneer Square.

Take the Manning family's Bainbridge Island residence, for example. Down a winding road past mini-mansions, a clutch of historic homes and a fish farm, out on the southernmost shore of the island, architect Manning and his wife, Susan, who is an illustrator, have had 18 months now to live amid their ideas. The fit is good.

Visually, their project marries East Coast and West Coast sensibilities, folding them into what Manning dubs a shingle-style seaside country house. Both Peter and Susan grew up spending summers along the East Coast and admired the charm and practicality of venerable shingle-style structures. Their move here in 1989 brought many reminders of home, especially the coastline.

They lived in a Bainbridge farmhouse while looking around for a waterfront lot that offered all-day sun. Ten years later, they found it.

Peter wanted to take what he'd learned from 30 years of practicing residential architecture and express his knowledge in a way that would remain fresh. They both fancied a house that let in lots of light and took full advantage of the Puget Sound view. It had to be appropriate for informal living, entertaining and working, with separate office and studio spaces, and feel expansive despite stringent zoning regulations - such as beach setbacks and a 30-foot height limit.

Variegated Brazilian slate, a gentle curving stair rail, the generous proportions of a newel post and a retriever named Marley create a visually pleasing entry tableau.

Durable materials were a must, inside and out, because the structure had to withstand strong sun, unblunted storms and salt spray. Important, too, was making the best use of local materials, including cedar and stone.

The dwelling that meets those requirements is L-shaped. The garage, office, pantry and laundry room are in the shorter north-south leg; living areas are parallel to the shoreline for optimum light and view. Naturally roomy at 3,500 square feet, the house feels even more expansive because of an open floor plan and careful placement of windows and interior transoms to channel light. Upstairs bedrooms have 14-foot-high ceilings. White walls, honey-toned wood trim and white-oak Swedish-finish floors offer reflected light and contribute to the sense of spaciousness.

The height restriction guided form and, if anything, inspired invention. This house does not reach for the sky, it steps gracefully toward the water. Changing levels let interior arches better define the various rooms and naturally pull eyes toward the horizon and that unbeatable Sound view.

Downstairs are the foyer, living room, dining room, kitchen and master-bedroom suite, with its massive closet and covered sleeping porch. Upstairs are two bedrooms flanking a family room, a perfect setup for their two sons. A spiral staircase leads to Susan's art studio, a 10-by-10-foot cupola - an Eastern Seaboard touch - that is a practical work area with windows on an inspiring water-and-woods panorama.

Consistent with his desire to honor Northwest materials, Manning dressed the exterior in red-cedar shingle siding. In homage to the couple's childhood memories, the cedar exterior trim is painted bright white. Cascade Range granite faces the above-grade foundation. Mullioned windows and a massive brick-with-stone chimney capped by a brick "topknot" add to the look of venerability.

The living room, a step down from the dining area and set off by an arch, has large double-hung windows, a Rumford-style fireplace and a floor-to-ceiling cherry bookcase that wraps around on the north side, opposite the windows. Architect and homeowner Peter Manning designed the space for summer and winter enjoyment.

Wood and stone are used extensively inside the house as well, including unpainted straight-grain fir trim, quarter-sawn oak floors and a granite-with-brick fireplace. Dark, 16-inch Brazilian slate squares are used for entry areas and to help link diverse surfaces. Cut down to 4-inch squares, they serve as kitchen backsplashes; to 6 inches, they're ideal for hearths and shower stalls. Shower floors are non-slip quartzite and limestone slabs, typical of long-lasting materials used throughout the house.

The main entry is a few steps down from the garage and parking area, recessed and sited north to escape the squalls that blow in across the water from the south. Distinctive touches include a massive Craftsman-style stave door with a bronze doorknob.

In the open kitchen, a black soapstone cooking island doubles as a counter for casual meals. Banquette seating tucked under a window provides a homier space. A formal dining table is available in the adjacent dining room.

Manning harmonized interiors, when practical, by finding multiple uses for materials. He likes soapstone for its low-gloss durability, so naturally he surrounded bathroom sinks with it, too. Mineral-oil touch-ups from time to time keep the stone looking fresh.

The Mannings wanted a kitchen that could accommodate a large group; hence the 50-square-foot center island. A separate cooking station features a wok burner. Countertops are oiled soapstone. Craftsman-style cabinets are cherry wood, as is the built-in table in the breakfast nook, at far right.

A few steps from the kitchen is the book-lined living room, where arches define east and north walls. The fireplace is Rumford-style, the floors, oak. A melding of brick and stone accents the Pasadena-bungalow-inspired, cherry-and-koa-wood mantle that was designed and built by a neighbor. Low-E glass and a cantilevered pergola "awning" protect furnishings from summer sun damage and eliminate the need for window coverings here.

A utility passageway off the kitchen serves as a good wet-dog holding area for the family's golden retriever, Marley, and doubles as walk-in pantry and prep kitchen. The space connects to stairs up to Manning's 500-square-foot office above the garage. A bathroom is designed so it can be adapted into a photo darkroom someday.

"There is a balance to be struck between creating space for living that takes care of those needs, yet provides interest for some time ahead," Manning says. "I had that in mind with this house."

Close attention to detail includes the curve of the upstairs balcony, which echoes the lines of the exterior deck rails. The arc is repeated in the stairway to the second floor. Custom Italian-made lighting fixtures meld tastefully with Craftsman-influenced hanging lamps. A tempered-glass range hood clears the kitchen's air yet leaves sight lines open to the rest of the main floor. Stonemasonry, custom furniture and cabinets - all invite touch and feed the eye.

What, if anything, would Manning revise here?

He's glad he had it smart-wired to accommodate future technologies. Likewise, the in-floor radiant heat, propane-fired boiler and back-up generator have proved valuable. He would consider a basement, because a wood shop would be useful.

Meanwhile, ferries on the Seattle-Bremerton run continue to glide past, while Blake Island appears vaguely shiplike in the distance. Boredom? That's not on the horizon.

Dean Stahl is a Seattle writer, editor and lexicographer. Benjamin Benschneider is staff photographer for Pacific Northwest magazine.