Modern Hillside Home in Seattle: Crane Residence

Crane Residence is a modern single family home designed by Spore Architecture in a suburban area of Seattle, Washington. Due to zoning restrictions and the odd shape of this 5,500 square foot lot, the architects had to go up, not out. This ended up working well, since the clients had their mind set on just that, a ‘tower’ house with a small footprint. Built on a fairly steep slope, the 2,250 square foot house pushes the private areas to the back – into the hillside, opening up a double-height living space toward the view with an all glass face. Looking into the living room and down to the kitchen is a loft that is flanked by the 3-story glass slot. Perched 4 stories above the ground and accessed by an aluminum grate foot-bridge, the master bedroom has a very private and exclusive feel. Also, with an entire wall of windows that reach to the floor, the master bedroom has unobstructed views of the territory below.

Beautiful mid-century modern home in Lakewood

This mid-century modern home is situated in the community of Lakewood, just outside of Seattle, Washington. Designed by DeForest Architects, this family home has been completely remodeled into a beautiful property. The design objective was to create a ‘kid-friendly’ home with plenty of grown-up style. There is a large expanse of sliding glass doors that blurs the boundaries between the interior and exterior of the home as well as bringing in plenty of natural light.  The flooring is a decorative concrete topping material called Deco Pour. It is about 1/2″ thick and comes in many colors and aggregates. It is a lot like traditional terrazzo in appearance. The ceiling has been clad with wood throughout all the main living spaces to add warmth to the interiors.

Photos: Ben Benschneider

Modern eclectic Phinney Ridge House in Seattle

Phinney Ridge house is a renovation and addition by Portal Design Inc of an existing early 80’s craftsman style home in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. The inspiration for the three bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom home was the owner’s experience with the lifestyle of Palm Springs, California, where they have a vacation home. One of the things they love most about Palm Springs is the ability to live indoors and out, which is not something you can typically do in Seattle, but it was one of the main drivers in renovating this house.

The house is comprised of 2,100 square feet of living space spread out over two levels, plus a 180 square foot loft. The exterior and interior scheme was to use basic industrial, natural colors and materials set off with glam elements that provide a little whimsy and ‘pop’ during dark times. The overall building footprint and shape changed very little, however the house changed tremendously, updated from its early 80′s style and sectioned layout.

The look of the front elevation was influenced by the site’s sloping nature. A pop-out over the garage clad in metal balances the front facade. A number of new windows were also added to allow in as much light as possible.

The house has a reverse floor plan, with the bedrooms and bathrooms on the first floor and an open kitchen, living area and dining space, plus a half bath, on the second level. For the second floor, timeless finishes were used such as walnut floors, white kitchen cabinets and a marble kitchen island. A touch of whimsy was also introduced into the design with wallpaper applied above the credenza in the lounge.

The kitchen island is topped with marble and clad in gray lacquer over medium-density fiberboard (MDF). The wood toe kick is walnut, to match the floor

The design of the master bedroom again reflects the designer’s effort to keep things that were going to be more permanent as neutral as possible. “We chose that warm gray partially because it’s an easy color to decorate with as a background. You can throw anything against it, and it’s going to look fabulous.” Because the master bathroom is buried a bit in the middle of the house, a frosted glass panel was used in the shower to allow more daylight to traverse into the bathroom. The bed is from Design Within Reach, artwork above the bed is from Crate & Barrel and wall paint is: Chelsea Gray HC-168, Benjamin Moore

The stairs are in the same place as they were in the original house, but were completely walled in. The stair treads are parallel strand lumber, and the railing, with stainless steel cables, was custom designed by Portal Design and fabricated by its contractor.

Because of the steep lot, the design team had to make several transitions to get from the driveway up, from the sidewalk up, and still have that connection to be able to go around the side of the house to the backyard.

A deck opens off the main living area and cantilevers over a small addition that was added to expand the master bedroom. The awning is frosted acrylic and was custom designed.

This outdoor fireplace is by Modfire.

The walnut wrap on the left side of the refrigerator frames in the white cabinets. “The idea was to create a furniture type of look, where there’s an edge of walnut showing, and offsetting that with the white lacquer”. The stairs to the right lead up to the loft office.

Tudor home with a modern twist on Lake Washington

This whole-house remodel gives us a venerable brick Tudor home a modern twist in Seattle, Washington. The home was designed by Deforest Architects for two book (and dog!) lovers, who had been walking their dogs past a modest Tudor for many years before they purchased it. They asked the architects to give the house a new life built around their love of books, dogs, and simple modern spaces filled with natural light. The residence incorporates bookshelves and cozy seating area throughout the house. Modern details complement traditional elements while steel windows, doors and exposed structure open the interior to light and views. The exterior features a ‘secret garden’, sunroom and terrace that overlook Lake Washington.

Photos: © Benjamin Benschneider

Contemporary lake house filled with light and art

DeForest Architects transformed this existing lakeside residence in Seattle, Washington from a house full of heavy stone and beams into a light-filled place for enjoying art, food and family. The clients, Mark and Mattie, are an entrepreneur and artist, mom and dad, this creative couple asked the architects to transform their home on Lake Washington into an elegant, family-friendly house filled with light and art. The staircase design received a Grand Award from Residential Architect and a Citation from the Washington AIA Honor Awards.

Photos: John Granen, Ben Benschneider (stairs)

Mid-Century modern home with a nature backdrop

This previously dark and disorganized 1950s mid-century modern home was redesigned by architecture studio Bohlin Cywinski Jackson to meet the needs of a young family who desired a sense of transparency and light to take advantage of the serene qualities of their wooded site in Seattle, Washington. The owners, a musician and jewelry designer with two children, expressed an interest in keeping the mid-century nature of the home, while improving the entry sequence and relationship of public and private spaces on the interior. They also suggested extending the living spaces outdoors to allow for informal gathering spaces and to better integrate the house with the surrounding landscape.

A composition of elongated colored boxes and planar elements organizes and enlivens the house. Circulation and living spaces occupy the resulting zones between.

Teak plywood cabinets, blackened steel, and Douglas Fir contrast with more modest materials such as painted MDF panels, fiber cement siding and simple drywall.

A spine of ipe decking and a series of playful round skylights draw one from the arrival point through the house to the living spaces and the wooded site beyond. A bold linear concrete wall links a new garage and studio, forming an entry court that simultaneously welcomes visitors and screens the private bedroom spaces nearby.

FLOOR PLAN BEFORE RENOVATION:

FLOOR PLAN AFTER RENOVATION:

Attractively designed eco-friendly prefab graces Seattle

Nestled into a suburban Seattle, Washington neighborhood, this slightly customized prefab house reflects its progressive and environmentally conscious community. The eco-friendly home was designed by West Vancouver-based studio PLACE Architects, with a character that is both friendly and approachable. The homeowners and their two children were downsizing from their 5,000 square foot home to this 2,476 square foot home with the core decision being the idea that we can all live in smaller houses with more outdoor spaces that are preserved for tree growth, play and outdoor activities.

The family has maximized every square inch of the available space in the home. Every functional zone has been clearly defined but offers multiple uses, which meant the home is more efficient and constructed with fewer materials and requiring less expended energy to heat and cool. The cabinetry in the kitchen and living room are formaldehyde free. The residence was assembled onsite from a kit, which took less than seven months to complete. The two car garage is comprised of natural wood shiplap siding and the chartreuse HardiePanel, which are all low-maintenance materials that were carefully detailed to resist the elements gracefully. Above the garage is an office for the homeowner to telecommute part of the week to save time and gas and allow more family time.

With sustainability in mind, all materials in the home are nontoxic and low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The home is equipped with low-flow plumbing fixtures to conserve water and with Energy Star-rated appliances. In-floor radiant heating is cost effective, running off the same boiler that supplements the heat for domestic hot water. The flooring is a structural concrete slab, which minimized the layers of material needed to finish out the space, cut down on waste and eliminated a layer of finish that would otherwise have to be replaced every 10 years or so. A solar-powered domestic hot water system heats the backyard lap pool.

Roll-up doors connect the kitchen and dining area to the outdoor patio and pool area.

The dining table, windowsills and stair treads came from a fir tree that was on the property prior to construction.

House on a bluff with stunning ocean views

House on a Bluff has been designed by architecture firm Hutchison & Maul situated in Seattle, Washington. This stunning 6,000 square foot house has been carefully planned and sited to create five outdoor “rooms” with distinct characteristics: a grassed front entry yard, a partially covered private sunning patio, a high-bank view lawn (perfect for croquet), and two upper decks.

Whidbey Island barn conversion

The Whidbey Island barn conversion was recently transformed into a unique living space supporting a variety of activities and guests by Seattle-based studio Shed Architects. The program called for a workroom/kitchen, an apartment, a bunkroom, and bathrooms to be arranged within the existing building envelope. Working within the existing envelope of the barn, the design solution attempted to imbue each space with its own character through the use of natural light and its orientation to the landscape. The primary design interventions were the creation of a utility pass-thru separating the bunkroom from the main work space, and the carved entry connecting the apartment to the workroom.

Secondary design interventions include the addition of skylights, dormers and bay windows that developed the relationship of interior spaces to the pastoral landscape. Each space was developed around a minimal palette of materials and color, with extensive re-use of existing barn materials. Some of these materials included the re-use of the original barn siding for interior paneling, re-milling of salvaged floor joists for stair material, trim and countertops. In a very real way, the barn was turned outside in and then wrapped in a new cedar board and batten skin that would weather and show its age well. Emphasis was placed on durability and directness of design solutions with the aim of creating practical and unique results.

Visit the website of Shed Architects here.

Photos: Jenny Pfeiffer

Fabulous eco-modern dwelling in Seattle

This stunning eco-modern home is located in the heart of West Seattle, Washington. With fabulous mountain and water views, this custom built home brings together sustainability, natural light, open flexible spaces, vaulted ceilings, and modern living. The 3,850 square foot home features a chef’s kitchen overlooking the sound below and is the hub for entertaining. Additional areas for social gatherings include a cozy gas fireplace and relaxing outdoor deck. The home boasts three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms with a master suite offering magnificent views. Daylight lower level is ideal for home office with a separate entrance, exercise/game room and recreation room.

This wonderful property is listed for sale at $895,000, from here.