Credits
From Alexandria Abramian
When the homeowners of this 1963 midcentury in Edmonds, Washington first purchased the home, they had toured enough open houses to know what they didn’t want: Namely, another cookie cutter renovation executed in shades of white, gray, beige and greige.
Enter Amy Vroom, founder of The Residency Bureau, known for her colorful revivals in a variety of architectural eras. “When you consider a traditional midcentury remodel, it’s easy to default to the expected,” says the interior designer. “My clients, on the other hand, wanted to infuse color and whimsy into this house, so we prioritized that throughout.”
Before Vroom could bring in the color, however, she focused on opening up a cramped layout to create a more intuitive and functional flow. “The first time I got there, the house felt disjointed and tight right from the entry. With a closet situated right at the front door, it made for an unwelcoming, cramped and restricted space,” says the designer, who removed the closet, opening up the area to make way for a slatted wood wall and bench with storage just beyond. “It’s far more functional for how they live and want to use the space.”
“The original kitchen had a peninsula which blocked your line of site to the atrium and the trees beyond. We had structural limitations due to the massive skylights in the kitchen but were able to open it up to connect with the living room and the view, doubling its size in the process.”
Vroom continued to adjust form and function in other parts of the home as well, using an adjacent closet in the main bedroom to create a wet zone for the homeowner’s bathtub and expanded primary bath.
When it came to selecting color, texture and finishes, Vroom avoided the expected at every turn. “A lot of times midcentury renovations use walnut slab cabinets and stacked tile backsplash,” says Vroom. “But here we wanted to honor the era while making it truly unique, so thoughtful selections became very important.” In the living room, she used slatted wood for the fireplace wall, while in the kitchen, the round dimensional Ann Sacks tiles create a subtly striking backsplash. In the bathrooms, terrazzo countertops bring a modern interpretation to the midcentury era.
Vroom modulated color throughout the home, shifting from bold teal to dusty rose and mint green. “There are lush, mature trees and peek-a-boo ocean views from almost every room, so we had all of these natural tones flooding in,” says Vroom. “That allowed me to select other tones that could mingle and play off of those greens and blues.”
“Not every homeowner is willing to go so bold, but here we were truly able to strike a balance between dramatic and grounding to bring back the midcentury character that had been lost along the way.”