My Houzz: Elegant Simplicity in a Midcentury Northwest Remodel
A discerning couple in Washington collaborate with a friend to update and add to their modern home
Bob and Joanna Bengford know how to get things done themselves. After buying their midcentury Bellevue, Washington, home in 2003, they set to work replacing doors and windows, making electrical upgrades and drainage improvements, and painting the inside of the entire house. “In some rooms, multiple times,” Bob says with a laugh. Joanna had ambitions for a big remodel and addition, so when the timing was right, Bob, a planner at Makers Architecture and Urban Design, decided to collaborate with his friend and former colleague Pietro Potesta of Alcova Architecture to make it happen.
Many of the midcentury homes in the neighborhood were being torn down and replaced with large Craftsman-style homes. When the Bengfords started designing their remodel, they knew they wanted to respect the home’s midcentury roots.
Bob is an avid gardener and protected and kept as many of the original plants as possible during the remodel. He plans to replace the sickly Japanese maple that died prior to the remodel with a dogwood tree.
Bob is an avid gardener and protected and kept as many of the original plants as possible during the remodel. He plans to replace the sickly Japanese maple that died prior to the remodel with a dogwood tree.
AFTER: Bob praised Potesta’s thoughtful design in melding the midcentury first floor with the new second story. “The final exterior has a soft transition from the existing form to the new,” Bob says.
To modernize the basic metal garage door, Potesta attached crisp white Dibond panels to its face.
Exterior panels: Hardie panels, James Hardie; upper paint: Spalding Gray SW 6074, Sherwin-Williams; lower paint: Turkish Coffee SW 6076, Sherwin-Williams; trim paint: Heron Plume SW 6070, Sherwin-Williams; garage door panels: Aluminum composite sheets, Dibond
To modernize the basic metal garage door, Potesta attached crisp white Dibond panels to its face.
Exterior panels: Hardie panels, James Hardie; upper paint: Spalding Gray SW 6074, Sherwin-Williams; lower paint: Turkish Coffee SW 6076, Sherwin-Williams; trim paint: Heron Plume SW 6070, Sherwin-Williams; garage door panels: Aluminum composite sheets, Dibond
The African mahogany front door was originally intended to be flanked by wood siding, but Joanna lobbied for stone. “I’m glad she did!” Bob says.
Front door: Vancouver Door; stone siding: Country Ledgestone Cultured Stone in Aspen, Mutual Materials
Front door: Vancouver Door; stone siding: Country Ledgestone Cultured Stone in Aspen, Mutual Materials
The couple initially wanted a double-height entry space that included the entire stairwell, but the final design instead incorporated a more cost-effective half-level rise. The end result is a light-filled entry hallway that still has an airy feel.
Pendant: Quoizel Ribbons pendant in Millenia; flooring: white maple engineered hardwood, 5-inch-wide planks
Pendant: Quoizel Ribbons pendant in Millenia; flooring: white maple engineered hardwood, 5-inch-wide planks
AFTER: The fireplace stayed in its original location, unlike other areas of the home. It serves as an anchor point separating the living room from the family sitting area and kitchen.
“Now that the walls around it have been removed, it is one of the major character-defining features of the house that hints at our house’s midcentury modern history,” Bob says.
“Now that the walls around it have been removed, it is one of the major character-defining features of the house that hints at our house’s midcentury modern history,” Bob says.
While Bob and the tile salesman were on board with the vertical accent stripe on the fireplace wall, “Joanna’s still not sure if she likes it,” Bob says with a laugh.
The mantel fabricator sanded and stained the wood a rich dark color and made sure to retain the original mill numbers. “We decided to preserve the holes and other imperfections as character pieces,” Bob says.
AFTER: The couple worked through numerous floor plan concepts with Potesta before settling on the final design. The original vaulted ceiling surrounding the fireplace remained in place while an open-plan dining room and kitchen were created below the new second floor.
AFTER: The couple collaborated with Potesta on furnishings and light fixtures as well, sharing images from magazines and websites throughout the design process. “It is interesting to see how our decorating styles have evolved over the years, from a classic traditional look to a more modern aesthetic,” Bob says.
The picture windows looking out into the backyard were a beloved element of the home when the couple bought it, so Potesta updated them with modern sliding doors and clean trim.
He suggested most of the light fixtures and Joanna found the dining room chandelier. While it’s a beautiful focal point for the dining area, she says, “it’s a difficult one to clean.”
Pendant: Possini Euro Onida clear crystal glass pendant, Lamps Plus
He suggested most of the light fixtures and Joanna found the dining room chandelier. While it’s a beautiful focal point for the dining area, she says, “it’s a difficult one to clean.”
Pendant: Possini Euro Onida clear crystal glass pendant, Lamps Plus
Potesta encouraged the couple to incorporate the white cabinetry, bright countertops and walnut island into the space. The tile selection, however, took longer than expected. Joanna chose much of the tile throughout the house over the course of several visits to a showroom. “Initially Pietro had planned for us to pick all of the tile in three hours — I said no way,” Joanna says.
Pendants: Blair 1 by Dainolite, Wayfair; backsplash: Color Wave glass in Silver Mink CW04, Daltile; countertops: quartz in Frosty Carrina 5141, Caesarstone; cabinetry: Abodian; refrigerator: LG; cooktop, ovens and dishwasher: Bosch; range hood: Cavaliere Hoods
Pendants: Blair 1 by Dainolite, Wayfair; backsplash: Color Wave glass in Silver Mink CW04, Daltile; countertops: quartz in Frosty Carrina 5141, Caesarstone; cabinetry: Abodian; refrigerator: LG; cooktop, ovens and dishwasher: Bosch; range hood: Cavaliere Hoods
Crosscut Hardwoods fabricated the walnut dining table, incorporating a subtle curve to the top. The metal legs are from Etsy, and the couple’s general contractor did the assembly.
The family sitting area faces a custom-designed television wall with a floating media cabinet made of plain-sliced walnut. Potesta helped with the installation of the media center components.
Wall panels: Abodian
Wall panels: Abodian
Potesta designed the custom blackened-steel handrail with brushed stainless steel top in the entry stairwell. It was fabricated by Gagnon Welding 42 Inc. in Snohomish, Washington.
Most of the walls in the home are painted a clean white. “We wanted the rest of the materials to shine,” Joanna says.
The white provides a background for the artwork Joanna has collected over the years. A pair of paintings at the stairwell landings are by Janet O’Neal.
Wall paint: Shoji White SW 7042, Sherwin-Williams
The white provides a background for the artwork Joanna has collected over the years. A pair of paintings at the stairwell landings are by Janet O’Neal.
Wall paint: Shoji White SW 7042, Sherwin-Williams
The pattern of the wood paneling on the master bedroom headboard matches the television wall in the family sitting area, as do the floating nightstands.
Wall panels: Abodian
Wall panels: Abodian
Joanna found it was a challenge locating minimalist-style window shades for the baths. The couple initially bought simple roller shades, but soon after installing them decided to order coordinating valances to cover the exposed rollers.
Floor and wall tile: Marvel in Moon Onyx, Atlas Concorde; tub tile: Marvel in Bronze Luxury, Atlas Concorde; roller shades: The Shade Store
Floor and wall tile: Marvel in Moon Onyx, Atlas Concorde; tub tile: Marvel in Bronze Luxury, Atlas Concorde; roller shades: The Shade Store
Hardware and simple double-panel doors echo the modern lines of the rest of the home. The couple are huge fans of Alchemy’s craftsmanship, especially with the installation of the doors and trim in the home.
Hardware: Square Reserve Lever in polished chrome, Baldwin Hardware
Hardware: Square Reserve Lever in polished chrome, Baldwin Hardware
The master bedroom opens onto a deck, where glimpses of the Cascade Range are visible over the living room roof. The deck sits over the backyard, which is bordered by tall evergreen trees. “When you wake up in the morning and open your eyes, it’s like you’re looking at a forest,” Bob says about the view from the bed.
Potesta designed a custom chimney cover to match the garage door paneling.
Potesta designed a custom chimney cover to match the garage door paneling.
Even with the addition of the second floor, the backyard gets ample sunlight most of the year. The rock waterfall and small pond, home to a dozen or so goldfish, are original to the house.
Bob and Joanna in their home. Though he was wary at first about collaborating with a friend on his own remodel, he says working on the project with Potesta was a success. “Ultimately the decision-making process was a good collaboration between all three of us,” he says. “We are very happy with the final result.”
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My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Bob and Joanna Bengford and their cats, Remi and Lorna
Location: Bellevue, Washington
Size: 2,410 square feet (224 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Year built: 1955
Remodel completed: 2014
Bob and Joanna Bengford were impressed by the modern aesthetic of friend Pietro Potesta’s own recently completed home in Seattle and wanted a similar feel for their remodel. They also worked with Travis Gaylord of Alchemy Building Co., Potesta’s contractor and neighbor.