When Seattle resident Jeremy Lewis got an enthusiastic call from his wife with a hot lead on a property for their family of five, she immediately caught his attention. The only catch: the house needed work. “My wife called me to say, ‘I found a good home for us, it’s a project for sure, but it has incredible bones and potential on a really cool lot,’” he recalls. “She was right!”

The “really cool lot” that Jeremy’s wife was describing was on the western shore of Lake Washington, with 270-degree views stretching clear across the lake and to the Cascade Mountains beyond. The existing home was a midcentury charmer that had been designed and built for the current (and only) residents. Despite the incredible bones and architectural appeal, the home was in disrepair when the Lewises purchased it from the original owners.

Tapping Seattle-based SHED Architecture and Design, the couple expressed a clear directive—celebrate the original structure, while making it work for their family of five. “Although it had good bones, the original house was not in good shape,” says SHED design principal Prentis Hale. “We honored the house first and foremost by not tearing it down.”

In turn, the home was completely overhauled from top to bottom, while preserving the scale and proportion of the original midcentury dwelling. “Although the house is new inside and out, the structure is essentially the same,” says Hale. Since the home’s original upper floor happened to be set up well for the family of five, the SHED team focused their efforts on the lower level. “We radically altered the main floor in plan and in structure,” he says. Removing all interior walls, this lower level reorganization prioritized an open floor plan for the family, along with improved views and connectivity to the lake and landscape. Additionally, a detached cabin, which replaced the original carport and shed, serves as a multipurpose office/bedroom space and storage area.

The home’s exterior takes cues from both the original midcentury design as well as traditional Japanese architecture—an interest of the clients that had grown during their travels to Japan. “The choice of white brick was inspired by pictures of traditional Japanese buildings combining white plaster walls and weathered shou sugi ban siding taken by the client on a trip to Japan,” shares Hale. “The use of wood siding over brick—in our case, shou sugi ban over white bricks—honored the design of the original facade,” he explains.

The choice of shou sugi ban—with its saturated color and distinctive char—was an idea proposed by the homeowners. “During our travels in Japan we were struck by the simple elegance of shou sugi ban,” says Jeremy. Digging deeper, they soon discovered its strength and durability, giving them confidence it could hold up in the extreme weather conditions typical in their coastal Washington climate.

The desire to use shou sugi ban on the home’s exterior was welcomed with open arms by the SHED team, and they soon turned to Nakamoto Forestry to redesign the midcentury home’s all-important facade. Nakamoto Forestry—who has managed their own forests in Hiroshima since the 1920s—is the largest siding mill in Japan, and the only company supplying North America and Europe with authentically milled, heat-treated shou sugi ban. “We believe Nakamoto Forestry produces the highest quality shou sugi ban available in North America,” says Hale. “The fact that their product comes from Japan–the source–is appealing to clients as is their PEFC certification.”

The rich color and signature texture of the shou sugi ban siding also beautifully served the design intent set forth by the homeowners and SHED team. “While the house is not a traditional Japanese house, we felt the material palette could imbue the house with a sense of materiality evocative of Japanese architecture,” explains Hale. This meant opting for a restrained palette at the exterior—wood, brick, metal, and glass—all which would weather differently, but harmoniously, over time. Embracing contrast, the white bricks and black siding give the structure strength and elegance, while the opposing colors also deliberately contrast with the landscape.

Reflecting on the home’s form and materiality, Hale is eager to see how it continues to evolve within the landscape. “The shou sugi ban siding and white brick give both house and cabin a strong but sympathetic presence in the landscape,” he says. The siding, Hale adds, will weather and patina over time, while the surrounding vegetation has already begun to grow onto the house. “I enjoy how the house asserts itself, but also gives way to the landscape,” Hale says. “We look forward to visiting to see how it is changing over time—that it is becoming more beautiful with age.”

Learn more at nakamotoforestry.com.

Project Credits:

Architecture: SHED

Builder: Whelbilt Homes

Siding: Nakamoto Forestry