Modern Homes in Washington

Ikea cabinets were combined with durable work surfaces and personal touches like a chalkboard wall. Decopour flooring, a cement topping similar to terrazzo, is a very durable, family friendly surface. Kitchen, dining and outdoor space flow around a 12-foot long island—nicknamed "the mother of all islands" by the residents.

The architects added an extended deck that creates an opportunity for gatherings. It also smoothly transitions the interior level, which hovers above the ground on pylons, back to the earth. Steel columns were specially implemented so the clients could string lights over the deck. A fire-pit is now located in front of these steps.

Anna Hoover, founder of the non-profit First Light Alaska, sought a "thought refuge, a room with a view to sit and contemplate future projects and reflect on recent travels and interactions, plenty of ‘headspace’—tall ceilings—and the ability to host other artists for studio time," she says. A longtime resident of the Pacific Northwest, Hoover was familiar with the work of Olson Kundig and contacted the Seattle-based firm to design her abode.

A panorama of sylvan hills and ocean views surrounds artist Richard Brothers’s environmentally minded Orcas Island, Washington, home.

Architects Tiffany Bowie and Joe Malboeuf’s Capitol Hill, Seattle, infill project was completed for $189 per square foot. Its street-facing facade is clad in prefinished siding from Taylor Metals, and cedar shaped and cut with CNC technology. The couple was inspired by the porthole windows of the Maritime Hotel in New York City, one of their favorite buildings.

Architect Chris Pardo designed the Element 1 model for prefab builder Method Homes, cladding it in Cor-Ten steel and cedar. Pardo’s design “is the definition of simple, elegant, straightforward building,” resident Karen Kiest says.

Anthony Pellecchia and Kathy Wesselman's careful site planning garnered a waterfront view at little cost to the trees.