Engelsman gave the kitchen an L-shaped layout with a large island workspace at the center, and pushed the tall storage into the garage, to create a wide circulation space to access the dining room and backyard.
The project was completed entirely remotely. Since then, the husband-and-wife team have moved back to Santiago, where they had met as young architects working for local firms.
Original architect A.I. Bumgardner had a major influence on Seattle’s urban landscape. Notable works include the city’s Waterfront Park and the conversion of Queen Anne High School into an apartment complex.
BEFORE: The courtyard has always focused on the towering tree and the beautiful views.
The original layout was very much of the time: a perfect midcentury modern flow, with a closed-off kitchen and a fire put in the floor. “They were cool but impractical spaces,” says Schaer.
“I walked in and thought, this room wants to be low,” says Kirsten. Friends in Amsterdam had the same sofa. “The kids would jump all over it, and I love that kind of feeling. I wanted to bring that to our house.”
BEFORE: Some nice views to the garden, but it was clear more could be done.
“The kitchen feels like a European coffee shop,” says Kirsten. “The way they were able to open up walls and maximize views was really exciting.” Nani Maquina stone wraps the island.
Paul’s favourite spot to stand is in the kitchen looking west through the dining room windows, “I turn my head to the right and see the ‘Mr. Miagi’ tree.” The other direction, he can see through the glass to the living room where Anna Siem’s large painting hangs.
The new addition and old building were clad in the same red timber for a cohesive look.
"One of the main problems with the house before was that you were a little isolated, it was hard to get out to the environment," says Gylfir. Doors and windows galore solve that problem in the renovated home.
The bookshelf system is from Modern Shelving with stained boards from Lowe’s.
The living room’s original altar-topped fireplace and Sante Fe-style plaster were easy sells for Mandy, who made sure they were preserved during the renovation.
Sunlight pours through the surrounding treetops and creates light play on the forest floor and on the interior of the studio.
The remote studio/office that Robert Swatt of Swatt Miers Architects designed for a Healdsburg, California, property is marked by glass walls that provide the feeling of working in nature.
Extra-wide concrete pillars help to support the studio at its core.
A healthy budget for landscaping allowed Leah to achieve a natural, wild look with plants. “I wanted to look out and see just lush plants growing wild,” she says. The collage of native vegetation was also used to soften the transitions between surface materials and backyard zones.
“We love the hot tub, and usually try to jump in it every afternoon,” says Leah. “In the warmer months, we don’t heat it, and the kids use it as a post-beach pool and love to play in it for hours.”
“They are quite cute and very wild,” Leah says of her three kids. The hot tub and surrounding deck were the starting points for the exterior remodel, with the transformed outdoor space incorporating numerous areas for the children to play and explore.
Working with salvaged and donated materials (and without ferry service), the Stinn Family assembled this dreamy getaway piece by piece.