When Jessica Speigel and Mike Standish bought their 1919 Seattle home in 2019, they knew it needed work. What they didn’t know was that a global pandemic would transform their modest renovation plans into a complete gut remodel. To kick things off, they reached out to an architecture firm co-owned by one of their closest friends.

Best Practice Architecture coprincipal Ian Butcher was intrigued by the challenge presented by his pals of more than 15 years. “It was a weird house,” he says. “It had the bones of a Craftsman, but then there was this addition from maybe the early ’80s that was Pacific Northwest modern, but dated. It was carved up in a weird way with all kinds of circulation issues.”

The house sits between a greenbelt and Lake Washington—a coveted Seattle location—and Jessica and Mike snagged the property for a deal precisely because it was so dated. “We actually didn’t have much competition for the house, which blew my mind,” Jessica says. Originally, the couple planned a modest update: turn the chaotic basement into a legitimate ADU and create a glamorous home office in the existing loft. They even got permits for that smaller project. But, as is often the case, life intervened.

Before: Front Patio

After: Front Patio

Covid accelerated everything. Jessica, a UX designer, and Mike, a creative director, suddenly needed serious home office space. Their budget jumped from around $200,000 to a full gut renovation, and the scope began to creep. They also got pregnant in the midst of all of this intense decision-making. “Suddenly, it was just easier to do everything at once,” Jessica says. “When we tried to cut budget, it was just the cool stuff that got cut because we needed new roof, new drywall, new plumbing, new electrical—everything.” Before they knew it, Best Practice was gutting the entire 100-year-old home down to the studs.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

While it may not have been the original plan, the 16-month renovation transformed the awkward layout into a functional home that the family of three delights in daily.

Upstairs, Best Practice added a proper primary suite with a lake view; downstairs, they celebrated existing eccentricities with details like a coral-painted steel post. “It was in the absolute worst spot to furnish this house,” Butcher explains. “So how do you make this a cool, weird, eccentric thing that reminds you this is an eccentric house? We made a feature out of a bad structural decision that was made years ago.”

Before: Bedroom

After: Bedroom

Jessica was deeply involved in design choices, diving into everything from light fixtures to wallpaper, and setting the layout for the funky Wow Twister backsplash tiles. “She really did a deep dive,” Butcher notes.

It’s just one instance of texture, color, and pattern at play—elsewhere, you’ll find thoughtful details like Concrete Collaborative’s Pacifica slab terrazzo on the bathroom counter. Built-in shelving by Kable Design Build finally provided room for the family’s extensive book collection, while a new vestibule with custom teal cabinets and Bedrosians hexagon tiles in Kuroi Black creates an organized entry.

Before: ADU

After: ADU

The most whimsical element, of course, is five-year-old Shay’s adventure zone: a playroom with a climbing net by Treehouse Supplies that Best Practice had been trying to incorporate into a project for years. “We were the first people to bite on that,” Jessica says with a laugh.

Before: Living and Dining Room

After: Living and Dining Room

The transformation has changed how the family lives. “Everything is easier,” Jessica says. “We have space; we have storage. Just waking up and being able to look out the window every day and see the water and trees… my mood is so much better.”

Before: Staircase

After: Staircase

The transformation of this strange old house went so well that the couple decided to use it as the venue for their recent wedding. The custom staircase—featuring birch plywood walls, white oak treads, and powder-coated steel railings by Seattle Metal Fabrication—served as the aisle as Jessica walked to the altar. And as she and Mike said their vows, their amazing architecture team offered assistance once again: Butcher’s partner officiated the ceremony.

After: Playroom

After: Primary Bathroom

After: Entryway

Before: Exterior

After: Exterior

More Before & After stories:

With $240K, a Design Duo Return Their Florida Midcentury to Its Former Glory

A Razor-Sharp Roofline Actually Expands a Family of Four’s London Home

It Took $1.6M and 100 Tons of Stone to Revive This ’60s Kit Home in Hawaii

Project Credits:

Architect: Best Practice Architecture / @best_practice

Builder/General Contractor: Kable Design Build

Structural Engineer: Harriott Valentine / @harriottvalentine

Cabinetry Design & Installation: Bodhi Builders / @bodhi_builders

Custom Steel: Seattle Metal Fabrication / @seattlemetalfabrication