North Seattle Home

Innovative, modern and timeless contemporary residence was designed for busy professionals with a large family. Contrary to the prevalent trend of rectangular orthogonal designs in the mainstream construction, we designed soft curves and natural palette of colors. The main floor can be opened to the outdoors for the Summer days with large foldable doors, 18 feet wide. We believe that custom homes like this one are personal. They reflect the exact lifestyle and activities of a family with potential for growth in hobbies and relaxation. The large property on the edge of a private lake was in the family for thirty years. The owners, who grew up playing in the lake, had the opportunity to build their house on the unused half of the property. Having an emotional attachment to the land from their childhood put extra challenge upon the architect. The final result is exactly what the owners have dreamt about. The home is open to many gatherings of friends and extended family.

The design was inspired by an imaginary flow of the river. Looking at the floor plans, the main shape of the house is a meandering curve. This shape may be difficult to utilize in a house design but we managed to organize the spaces in a pragmatic way. A two-story house offers ample space for a large family. The views of the house are those of a private lake, with a very large grass lawn leading to the dock.

The open kitchen makes it possible for the whole family to participate in cooking. All materials are environmentally responsible, custom made bamboo cabinets and natural stone countertops. The kitchen opens up through the living and dining room into the backyard with 18 foot open bi-folding doors. The sunken living room gradually connects to the backyard as per request from the owners. A large see-through fireplace wall optically separates the living room from the dining room.

Unusual for residential architecture in the U.S., this house was built from insulated concrete forms and poured-in-place concrete. The exterior is finished in stucco while the interior boasts plaster and raw concrete. Colors are muted as not to compete with the rich shapes of the space.

The clients inherited the property from their parents, and wanted to build their perfect family home. The architect came recommended by a friend of the owners, and was hired instantly. The specific method of construction with poured-in-place concrete was an unusual material and took special attention to execute in a high quality. Due to the age of their children, the clients requested low maintenance materials to be used. The project took 5 months to design and 14 months to deliver.