The modern fireplace is located at the original chimney stack of the building. Robb Studio created a sculptural fireplace using exposed concrete, steel, and shou sugi ban wood for the hearth seat.
The outdooor Fire Ribbon is available in widths of three of four feet. They require no chimney, are fueled by natural gas or propane and can be operated by remote control.
Labics took their design cues from the original structure’s history and function: The form of the industrial-looking double chimney, for example, was derived from an old stack placed on an adjacent farm. For the water feature, at right, a moat-like trench surrounding the house was dug to reduce humidity in the foundation.
A slight gap between the existing house and the new addition allows for a skylight and a masonry chimney with a wood-burning fireplace.
The brick wall adjacent to the custom dining table by Brooklyn-based Uhuru Design is original to the structure. 590BC and its team spent months trying to find the right translucency for the whitewash covering the brick. "We call it the 'selective loft' because of the contrast of the refined materials and cabinetry against the industrial materials of this former light bulb factory," says Breitner. Photo by Frank Oudeman.
A spare material palette characterizes the interiors, with brick walls left exposed wherever possible to showcase the home's history.
The stamped tin ceiling, fabricated by a local Brooklyn tinsmith, gives rich texture to the main floor. It's complemented by a sleek Henrybuilt kitchen and a Lacanche stove. Photo by Tara Donne.
A translucent glass backsplash in the kitchen lets light into the bedroom.
In the airy kitchen, meals are prepared on a Silestone White Storm countertop. The backsplash’s tiles match those on the staircase’s risers. In the adjoining dining area, a Caboche suspension light by Foscarini hangs over a CB2 dining table and Real Good Chairs by Blu Dot.
My favorite detail in the kitchen.
Carport doors swing open to the alley outside of the studio, where the property extends enough for additional landscaping. The corrugated steel siding comes from a surplus from a nearby apartment building. “There’s a lot of urban infill potential in Seattle’s neighborhoods,” Wittman remarks. “We’re catching up to older, denser cities in this regard.”
To create a bit more texture in the kitchen and baths, the couple added classic checkered tiles from the local hardware store—an inexpensive option that broke up the polished concrete floors spanning the rest of the house. Pavonetti designed and built the pedestal sinks using reclaimed cedar siding.
The bathroom’s width and reinforced handrails accommodate Wansbrough’s needs.
The master bathroom in the client’s unit features Corian for the flooring and sink, a material O’Neill favors for its “beautiful plaster quality, where the light almost sits in the material and glows," adding, "we wanted the bathroom to be like a light box where the material is holding this light in a big room.” The back wall of the shower is a single slab of travertine stone, adding elegant contrast to the room.
The residence’s two bathrooms present distinct material identities: In the main bathroom, located on the lower level near the couple’s bedroom, a custom stainless-steel bathtub designed by Gil contrasts with a wall clad in silver travertine.
For the master bathroom, Moser installed a green marble bath top and green onyx floor tiles. Details such as in-floor heating, an Americh Madison bathtub, and GROHE sink make for a comfortable space.
Home Renovation Tip: Decide on a Sensible Scope of Work
Adjacent to the bedroom, the bathroom features microcement-coated walls, along with a custom sink and vanity. Dornbracht Tara sink faucets and dual rainfall showerheads finish the space.
For the bathroom inside a renovated Hollywood bungalow, architect Noah Walker used a simple palette of gray and white tile, black countertops, and stainless steel fixtures.
The upstairs showers are particularly ingenious: Operable skylights loom above, and perforated, galvanized-steel platforms open up to spacious, sunken bathtubs.
Prioritize either storage or easy cleaning. While extra storage is always nice, it is important to note freestanding vanities are also known for being harder to clean, since there are more corners and nooks where dust can hang out around them.
“Keeping the kitchen and bathrooms simple saved money for the important things,” Harkness explains. They went with a soothing color palette and hardware from Reece.
Board-formed concrete planters hold species fitting for the Pacific Northwest, including conifers and moss.
Textured concrete walls are a signature of Cho’s work.
Looking back on the home from the concrete patio, its verticality becomes apparent. The zinc, cedar, and glass extension erupts from the base of the old brick envelope—diminutive but disruptive.
Delivering a modern look, concrete serves as a long-lasting, hardwearing material.
Here you can really see the tilt-up concrete panels that Kurath designed for the space. Each was made to be small enough to go up with a forklift.
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