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Remodel and additions to this 1960’s beach house on Bainbridge Island occurred in stages. The initial work was in the bedroom wing with follow on improvements to the main living spaces. The existing conditions were sparse, small and not sized appropriately for a family of four. The scope of work for the living space improvements and expansion included absorption of a carport into a new entry, family room, gallery, home office and powder room. This scope also included the addition of a utility/laundry room, new kitchen, new porch configuration, new living room layout including relocated fireplace.

Careful attention to expressing a comforting scale and natural light exemplary of mid century design was considered in the development of the design. By incorporating materials not used conventionally in the early 1960’s the architecture was transformed into a building which allows views, ample natural light and sheltered outdoor spaces. Restrained use of materials created a palette which allows both the natural and advanced artificial lighting to bounce off surfaces resulting in an exciting and ever changing experience inside the building.

The new design work carefully weaves through mature and delicate landscape in order to maintain passive shading and enjoy the seasonal colors. This design and planning strategy helped when accommodating the convoluted and contradictory shoreline permitting regulations.

By working carefully with the owner, the contractors, the triad was able to address unforeseen conditions with imaginative and thoughtful results.

Designed for a client who desired a modern farmhouse style, this beautiful interpretation borrows from classic forms and turns its focus on the exceptional view. Perfectly perched on a bluff overlooking Puget Sound, the house and site design work together to support multiple areas to enjoy the property. From the moment one crosses the threshold of the main entry, the view is framed by custom floor to ceiling French doors. The same doors are repeated on the upper level of the house where the primary bedroom enjoys the same western exposure.

An entry court provides privacy from the street front by limiting the glazing area and saving all the large window expanses for the water side. The gabled board and battened walls on the east side of the house are peeled back from the corners on the west side to expose the interior rooms to the drama of the vistas. The entry core separates the main family area from the garage/guest house building, which also includes a media room with kitchenette, a screen for a golf simulator and audience seating.

A dramatic central entry in this West Seattle residence divides the main structure in half, while the kitchen beyond the entry’s opaque windows unifies the house.  The form to the north of the entry contains the dining room and living room on the first floor, the master bedroom with a magical view on the second floor, and a family room at the lowest level that opens up to the backyard. On the south side of the axial entry lives the stair core, pantry, mudroom and garage access on the main floor, the second floor contains the children’s bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, and the lower floor contains the wine room, workout space and the guest bedroom and bath. In the center, tying together the house is the generous family kitchen. A second floor bridge overlooks the two story space and links the parent’s and children’s bedrooms.

On the busy street-side, the house is afforded privacy by the solid two-story walls clad in Thermory on the outside and also carried into the interior.  Eastern light penetrates the house through the central two-story opaque windows and the clearstory windows above. Inside the 4,700 square foot house opens up to the expansive view with large windows on the north and west elevations.  The kitchen flows easily onto the large adjacent deck that includes an outdoor fireplace overlooking Puget Sound and steps down to the lower lawn connected to the family room. Concrete floors throughout the house work perfectly for a family of four with three dogs.

The clients had one request, “design a multi-generational family getaway oasis of timeless, classic cottages, independent yet interdependent, that can be enjoyed and cherished now and for many years to come.”

After sharing a family cabin on Hood Canal with other relatives for over 60 years, the owners decided to create a new family compound for themselves, two grown children and their young families.  The narrow lot slopes gently over 430 feet to the no-bank waterfront and allows for a meandering, naturally landscaped walk between the four buildings on the site.  At the top of the site is a 665 sf Bunkhouse which primarily separates car related activities – driveway and parking – from the rest of the compound.  The structure has a slype which acts as a gateway to the cottages beyond.  A 982 sf, 2 bedroom, 2 bath ADU Cottage sits a few paces away from the beautiful bunkhouse.  The Primary Cottage is a 5 bedroom, 5 bath structure divided into two sections connected by a glazed breezeway that looks out to the natural gardens. The larger 2,280 sf section offers privacy for the owners, while the breezeway travels to the 1,000 sf portion used by visiting family.  Each wing maintains its own kitchen, dining and living areas effectively acting as two cottages under one roof assembly.

At the water’s edge is a small structure labeled the Oyster Temple.  Here, the family gathers to BBQ oysters pulled right from the beach.  This outbuilding also shelters an outdoor shower, a powder room and space for outdoor furniture storage.  Back at the top of the lot and across the street, the owner’s Boat Barn is a simple gable building housing the all the water toys.

The client fell in love with the Tamarack, a permit-ready, stock-plan offered through the Perfect Little House Company, but needed to increase its size for future endeavours.  BC+J worked with the owners to double the footprint of the Tamarack, without overshadowing the original scale and proportions of the original cabin design. The solution included a new centralized entry between the public spaces of the original Tamarack, and the private new bedroom wing of subordinate  massing. The two structures, connected at the corner, create a courtyard protected from the street view and open to the surrounding forest.  The master bedroom suite is located in the corner of the lower wing which captures the edge of the courtyard, while the guest bedroom is tucked in closer to the entry.

Clad in shou-sugi-ban siding, the structures recede into the fabric of the wooded lot, while the contrasting Douglas fir rafters and soffits are highlighted.

At 1,400 square feet, this two bedroom, two bath home had to make use of every inch, while still maintaining clear, open views through large, two-story high, glazed wall areas.  The kitchen is compact but well appointed with substantial storage under the stairs to the loft.  The living room / dining room area is enhanced by a storage wall that also includes a built-in banquette for dining and additional seating.  A small office area, bar, more storage and a media room occurs in the loft, which also has extensive views to the trees.