Big Star Condo

Client Inspiration:

“Big Star” is an upper-floor condo in Seattle with sweeping views of downtown and Elliott Bay. In their own words, the owners challenged us to:

“embrace the lysergically drenched ethos of late ‘60s San Francisco, both sonically and visually.” In particular, they told us: “the vibe is more Four Tet’s Squidsoup than Warhol’s Factory. Think James Murphy’s Despacio rather than Bear Stanley’s Wall of Sound. Avalanches sampledelia over Airplane psychedelia.”

We took this as inspiration to be inventive and work outside of our comfort zone.

Design Solution:

Working closely with interior design firm, Grayscale, we designed a series of entertaining spaces that are tied together by a vibrant color palette, nearly-psychedelic textiles, and wide bands of LED lighting. Lockhart Suver Construction pulled off the highly-demanding, high-precision custom build-out. During the day, the LED bands provide a soft white light. In the evening, they swirl and pulse and dance to the music via software more commonly used for theater and concert lighting.

Rather than striking a single note, the space echoes the multilayered music that inspired it, reflecting and multiplying patterns and colors via mirrored surfaces and dichroic glass. Behind the scenes, there are more domestic, though still vibrant, living spaces that are accessed via concealed doors.