Mercer Waterfront Home

This Lake Washington residence was extensively rebuilt, with several tactful decisions transforming it into an elegant waterfront haven. The front window bay organizes the exterior of the home. Behind it the living room is provided a sweeping view of the lake. Raised living room ceilings and skylights create an airy space that draws light deep into the home.

Opening previous interior rooms to each other on the main floor created a welcoming, light filled congregating space adjacent to the large and open kitchen. Additional rooms below, including a study with direct access to the waterfront terrace provide more secluded comfort.

entry courtyard

dining

entry

living

master bath

waterfront

Seattle Mondrian House

This home, originally designed by James Chiarelli in the late 1940s, expresses an appreciation for the painter Mondrian. A recent remodel and expansion of the small house upholds the Mondrian style. The original shed roof extends to shelter a new master bedroom. A portion of the roof pitches up to provide a broad view to the secluded back yard. The new, larger kitchen cabinets were laid out in an asymmetric design and stained in soft northwest color.

As Susan Boyle of Docomomo explains, "the new design work acknowledges Chiarelli's original vision and complements it with a contemporary kitchen and master bedroom/bathroom addition." The current house demonstrates how contemporary life can be accommodated within a historic dwelling while preserving its essential character and originality.

master bedroom addition

glass wall to wooded yard

Additons and original fireplace

the northwest mondrian with browns, tans, and soft greens

built in bench and windows

master bedroom

Mercer Island Guest House

This small guesthouse and garage was designed to compliment the existing craftsman home on its wooded site. The design gives visitors a delightful first impression of the home. A path connects the guesthouse to the main building, accentuating the lush surroundings and drawing attention to a colonnade and trellis.

The interior of the guesthouse is one large room, featuring a bed alcove, kitchenette, study, and window seat. A large soaking tub opens into the living area of the suite when revealed by an elegant wood sliding door. The exposed-beamed ceiling and carefully detailed interior grant a spacious yet intimate notion. This guest home is small enough to comply with guesthouse regulations but grand in feeling and luxury.

walkway and trellis

Entry

Guest Suite

Living Room

Guest Suite

Bathroom

Ballard Bungalow

Built on a narrow, undeveloped city lot, this bungalow's design provides functional comfort for a family with two active boys. The plan utilized an existing garage at street level, breaking into a new basement from the back. The living level utilizes the top of this garage as an extended outdoor terrace on the street side.

The four-level home includes a master bedroom with centrally located bay window that overlooks the street side. Above, a craft and hobby attic room with views to the east and west, as well as operable skylights, provides a peaceful activity space for the children. On the main floor, the living area is extended onto a private terrace and yard for more secluded outdoor enjoyment.

street façade

roof deck over garage

living dining space

kitchen

dining

sitting area

small kitchen office

back yard

Lake Washington Cabana

This small cabana and boat house for owners of a waterfront lot provides additional living space and enjoyment of the existing pool and lake shore. The cabana is linear and tucked into the hill, accenting the slope of the landscape. Inside are a bathroom, kitchenette, and a living space which opens directly to a terrace and lawn. Perfect for guests, relaxing, and storage, the cabana instinctively blends glassy object with shoreline.

entry way

south terrace

approach

sitting area

sitting area

shower

west terrace

schematic plan

Montana Prairie House

Taking inspiration from the landscape around Great Falls, Montana, the design for this home features a path that flows between two forms of the building and finishes on a built up terrace (the wash). The "wash" area protects the terrace and deck from the prevailing winds that follow the Missouri River to Great Falls. The deck on the upper level becomes a bridge between the house elements and extends past the building, adding an exciting prospect from the home and an overlook to the city.

The upper floor houses the master bedroom suite and living areas, while the children's bedrooms and recreation room are below. An exterior terrace and lawn extend the lower level rooms to the outdoors. The roofs of the home flow downhill with the slope of the land and provide generous overhangs. Large beams extend out to carry each roof and help reinforce the horizontal line of the house.

east

lower terrace and deck

entry

grasslands

sheltered deck

sheltered deck

lower schematic plan

upper schematic plan

roof plan

Seattle Urban Infill

This modern residence was built on the foundation and floor framing of an existing postwar home that was too small for a growing family. A new second floor added several bedrooms and bathrooms, each with large window views of the surrounding evergreens. Innovative use of cement board panels and aluminum trim combined with shingles give the home a unique modern edge. Subdued colors and use of vertical space allow the home a comfortable fit in a neighborhood that is densely built, while still retaining trees and yard space.

The interior of this 21st century home is both spare and striking. Exposed framing in line with the windows creates a dramatic ceiling for minimal cost. The second floor hallway is a wooded deck dropped onto steel angles between the two solid elements of the house’s upper floor. Cantilevering the upper floor over the existing driveway helped expand the home while maintaining a backyard garage and driveway.

street façade

street

back yard

Living Room

Before

Montana Lake Cabin

This Montana summer cabin is positioned on an abandoned logging road overlooking Big Sky Lake. The logging road provided a ready-built terrace as well as a good anchor point to build from. The cabin was designed to allow winter snow to slide underneath the structure and off the roof downhill. During the summer months, large overhangs help moderate the sun. A projecting deck allows for the excitement of a promontory view. Under a large barrel-vault roof windows brings in light and open up the cabin to the lake and tree-line views. The children's loft bedrooms include a skylight for nighttime star gazing.

south view of cabin

south cabin deck

bedroom corner window

entry bridge

cabin from below

Steilacoom Modern

The owners of this small home with a basement garage in Steilacoom asked SLA to add a second floor and remodel the main level of their home. The design incorporated an existing deck and created a covered back yard terrace. In order to trim costs, the design utilized only the existing foundations. Exterior cedar siding gives the building warmth. Extensive windows provide views to Puget sound from both levels and give the small home a larger feel. With a reconstruction of modest cost over an existing foundation the owners acquired a larger, modern and delightful new home.

addition from street

interior stair

entry stair and roof deck

original home

Idaho Lake Cabin

This extensive remodel utilized some of the original foundation while the rest of the cabin was rebuilt. It was important to keep some of the beloved features of the original design, and so SLA incorporated both an open deck and covered screen terrace, each with views to the lake. A bunkhouse in the back was kept intact as a space for all the kiddos to sleep. The interior of the new cabin features a large and open kitchen, dining, and living space that connects to the terraces.

Clerestory windows allow natural light inside, and large windows facing the lake highlight the landscape. The slanted roof of this design allows the cabin to dispel snow build-up, and the cozy fire place and better insulation enable winter usage and enjoyment. Several guest bedrooms allow the owners to include extended family as well as friends in experiencing the beauty of their property.

lakeside with deck and screened porch

deck and stair to lake path

great room

doors to alcove bedrooms

screened porch

study model

study model

study model

Laurelhurst Modern Remodel

Owners of this Laurelhurst home dolefully asked to remove of a unique dance floor and lift their dining table. With the dining table recessed, the initial design plan involved repurposing its top to became part of a new dance floor. Unfortunately, after much consideration, the unique feature became obviously unsalvageable. With that final decision, the cramped and difficult to access kitchen was remade into a study instead. A new kitchen was installed as well, with a large island and breakfast table. The dining and living rooms were freshened up and the whole main floor now functions as a modern and open living area, providing plenty of space for the family to dance.

living area

kitchen and breakfast room

kitchen

Washington Park Addition & Remodel

Interior remodeling and additions to this classic Washington Park home created spacious dining and living areas as well as a graceful main entry. A second stair to a newly finished basement allowed the owners to add a family recreation room. A stone stairway leads to the grassy back yard, connecting the building with its site and establishing quick access to the outdoors.

An expanded master bathroom and closet, as well as a new mud-room off the kitchen, with a small home office provide improved functionality to the home. Each renovation was carefully crafted to respect the original Cape Cod architecture, while updating the home to fit the lifestyle of a modern active family. The home is now delightfully open and fresh.