Tucked way back in the woods on the east edge of Vashon Island is a northwest masterpiece.
"It's with a little bit of tear in one eye to leave this house because it's been a wonderful home," said owner Hans Koch.
He and his wife Cindy designed and built the home from 1997 to 2000.
"All the interior design was done by my wife. I concentrated on the outside. And we're still married!" said Hans.
The most prominent feature is a lighthouse of sorts that pays homage to the home's waterfront location... 1,000 feet of waterfront to be precise. It is not actually a working lighthouse but a three-story, circular space with a winding staircase that climbs from a trophy room to a 4,000 book library to an observation deck.
On the main floor of the 16,000-foot manse is a bit of a secret... a "bookshelf" that opens up into a secret, hidden staircase that leads upstairs.
The kitchen features marble that could be in a museum.
"And this travertine came outta the same quarry Michelangelo used to make the statue of David. So there's some real antiquity you're standing on. So tread lightly," said Hans.
But though the property is luxurious and elaborate, Hans said it is intentionally inviting and livable.
Engel and Völkers broker Fabian Saul's been in the biz for two decades.
"The owners wanted to not make anything ostentatious but very warm. That you want to come home and live in it. It's all about having friends over," said Fabian.
It is also a tribute to the Northwest. Most of the wood is from Vashon Island, as are the river rocks that form the sprawling fireplace and the bricks in the wine cellar.
The property is offered at $20 million. Listing here.
