This small home in the heart of Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood puts everything needed for living and entertaining together in a way that belies its size. A targeted 250 SF addition and interior remodel allowed the kitchen, living, dining and office to be located together in open plan. The great room has vaulted ceilings and glazing on the entire south façade, catching as much winter sun as possible. In good weather, a folding Nanawall allows the kitchen and dining to be completely opened up to the large backyard deck and yard beyond. Recognizing the dense nature of the corner lot, the design is selective about window placement on the front and sides, while creating a strong connection to the private backyard as an amenity that extends the living space out and makes the finished house feel much larger than its 1,750 SF.

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Nestled between Interlaken Park and Montlake Playground, this charming 1928 brick Tudor originally stood on land once part of Lake Washington, which was later filled in. As a result, the area was classified by the City as a Peat Settlement Zone due to its poor soil quality, causing the house to tilt several inches over the years. After consulting with our geotechnical engineer, we confirmed that while the house had settled, it had stabilized. The geotechnical engineer recommended that any additions to the house be designed with a standard foundation to ensure the entire structure would move in unison during an earthquake.

To enhance the home, we added a small extension to the front, featuring a revised staircase, a new front entry and powder room, and an updated primary bathroom on the second floor. This addition was designed in the Tudor style to complement the original architecture but was clad in stucco with wood detailing, since matching the original brick would have been both difficult and undesirable due to its weight.

Inside, the living spaces were opened up, incorporating thoughtful detailing to maintain the true Tudor aesthetic.

 

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We renovated the porch of a 1906 Four Square home in Capitol Hill to enhance its historical appeal. The original porch had oversized round columns and lacked detail, with no railings to define the space. Our client, a plastic surgeon with a keen eye for precision, emphasized attention to detail down to fractions of an inch. We carefully selected trim sizes and added period-appropriate lighting fixtures to match the era of the house. Additionally, the front steps were rebuilt using concrete and stone, providing a more substantial and durable entryway. The result is a porch that complements the home’s original character and adds a sense of refinement and definition to the space, respecting both the house’s history and the client’s high standards for detail.

 

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The owners of this Seattle home contacted us to replace a poorly constructed and leaking front porch that had so many construction defects it needed to be completely removed and replaced. We saw this as an opportunity to construct a leak free porch and to add some style and detail to a beautiful old craftsman style home located above Portage Bay. The owner also had spent many years cultivating a stunning garden that deserved to be viewed from a beautifully detailed new front porch.

The new design incorporates three arched openings on the front of the house, with large columns to hold up a second story porch with views of Portage Bay. Also incorporated within the columns are the drains for the deck above, which is now covered with a new waterproof PVC roofing membrane and beautiful Ironwood decking. New railings integrate into the design and are capped with an Ironwood rail (rather than painted wood) to reduce yearly maintenance.

 

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