seattle renovations

For this kitchen, the architects paired slate-gray HPL (high-pressure laminate) cabinets by Henrybuilt, cool Basaltina countertops, with custom shelving and a white Corian backsplash.

“Durability drove the selection of metal panels,” Schaer says of the home’s industrial exterior. Manufactured by AEP SPAN from corrugated cladding, it looks like zinc but costs significantly less. It also contrasts nicely with the natural siding and trim. “All of the wood inside and out is Douglas Fir, the predominant wood species in the northwest,” Schaer explains.

The 3,000-square-foot house sits partially on stilts to tread as lightly as possible on its natural island site.

In 2006, Seattle couple Damon and Claudia Smith decided it was time to expand their home to match their family, which had grown to include three children and two dogs since they first bought the house in the mid-1990s. Their solution: Adding on what they've dubbed the "South-ender."

Architects Sara and Jeremy Imhoff and their son Jonah use the renovated kitchen in their 1918 bungalow in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood.