Tilt-Turn red painted wood window in the library loft space with clear maple bookcases. Carrara marble window sill.

photography by Rob Karosis

Bluff House living room looking out to deck and native landscape. Photography: Trevor Mein

The Redmond Residence is located on a wooded hillside property about 20 miles east of Seattle. The 3.5-acre site has a quiet beauty, with large stands of fir and cedar. The house is a delicate structure of wood, steel, and glass perched on a stone plinth of Montana ledgestone. The stone plinth varies in height from 2-ft. on the uphill side to 15-ft. on the downhill side. The major elements of the house are a living pavilion and a long bedroom wing, separated by a glass entry space. The living pavilion is a dramatic space framed in steel with a “wood quilt” roof structure. A series of large north-facing clerestory windows create a soaring, 20-ft. high space, filled with natural light. The interior of the house is highly crafted with many custom-designed fabrications, including complex, laser-cut steel railings, hand-blown glass lighting, bronze sink stand, miniature cherry shingle walls, textured mahogany/glass front door, and a number of custom-designed furniture pieces such as the cherry bed in the master bedroom. The dining area features an 8-ft. long custom bentwood mahogany table with a blackened steel base. The house has many sustainable design features, such as the use of extensive clerestory windows to achieve natural lighting and cross ventilation, low VOC paints, linoleum flooring, 2x8 framing to achieve 42% higher insulation than conventional walls, cellulose insulation in lieu of fiberglass batts, radiant heating throughout the house, and natural stone exterior cladding.

Custom window treatments and decorative accessories by KH Window Fashions, Inc.

This is an original historic mirror which was re-framed and integrated with the custom designed painted wood surround and mantel of the new gas fireplace. Carrara marble frames the metal fireplace and serves as the hearth. Sally Schoolmaster, photographer

Master bathroom suite with slab and mosaic Calacatta Marble floors, slab counters and tiled walls. Crystal chandeliers and sconces highlighting custom painted inset cabinets.

J. Asnes

Gorgeous master bedroom with intricate detailing.

A living room painted in Vardo No.288 Estate Emulsion with Shadow White No.282 Estate Eggshell on the window frame.

Living room + sitting room. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely

2012 KuDa Photography

  Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   Lakefront property in the northwest suburbs of Chicago is hard to come by, so when we were hired by this young family with exactly that, we were immediately inspired by not just the unusually large footprint of this 1950’s colonial revival but also the lovely views of the manmade lake it was sited on. The large 5-bedroom home was solidly stuck in the 1980’s, but we saw tons of potential. We started out by updating the existing staircase with a fresh coat of paint and adding new herringbone slate to the entry hall. The powder room off the entryway also got a refresh - new flooring, new cabinets and fixtures. We ran the new slate right through into this space for some consistency. A fun wallpaper and shiplap trim add a welcoming feel and set the tone for the home. Next, we tackled the kitchen. Located away from the rest of the first floor, the kitchen felt a little isolated, so we immediately began planning for how to better connect it to the rest of the first floor. We landed on removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room and designed a modified galley style space with separate cooking and clean up zones. The cooking zone consists of the refrigerator, prep sink and cooktop, along with a nice long run of prep space at the island. The cleanup side of the kitchen consists of the main sink and dishwasher. Both areas are situated so that the user can view the lake during prep work and cleanup! One of the home’s main puzzles was how to incorporate the mudroom and area in front of the patio doors at the back of the house. We already had a breakfast table area, so the space by the patio doors was a bit of a no man’s land. We decided to separate the kitchen proper from what became the new mudroom with a large set of barn doors. That way you can quickly hide any mudroom messes but have easy access to the light coming in through the patio doors as well as the outdoor grilling station. We also love the impact the barn doors add to the overall space. The homeowners’ first words to us were “it’s time to ditch the brown,” so we did! We chose a lovely blue pallet that reflects the home’s location on the lake which is also vibrant yet easy on the eye. Countertops are white quartz, and the natural oak floor works well with the other honey accents. The breakfast table was given a refresh with new chairs, chandelier and window treatments that frame the gorgeous views of the lake out the back. We coordinated the slate mudroom flooring with that used in the home’s main entrance for a consistent feel. The storage area consists of open and closed storage to allow for some clutter control as needed. Next on our “to do” list was revamping the dated brown bar area in the neighboring dining room. We eliminated the clutter by adding some closed cabinets and did some easy updates to help the space feel more current. One snag we ran into here was the discovery of a beam above the existing open shelving that had to be modified with a smaller structural beam to allow for our new design to work. This was an unexpected surprise, but in the end we think it was well worth it! We kept the colors here a bit more muted to blend with the homeowner’s existing furnishings. Open shelving and polished nickel hardware add some simple detail to the new entertainment zone which also looks out onto the lake! Next we tackled the upstairs starting with the homeowner’s son’s bath. The bath originally had both a tub shower and a separate shower, so we decided to swap out the shower for a new laundry area. This freed up some space downstairs in what used to be the mudroom/laundry room and is much more convenient for daily laundry needs. We continued the blue palette here with navy cabinetry and the navy tile in the shower. Porcelain floor tile and chrome fixtures keep maintenance to a minimum while matte black mirrors and lighting add some depth the design. A low maintenance runner adds some warmth underfoot and ties the whole space together. We added a pocket door to the bathroom to minimize interference with the door swings. The left door of the laundry closet is on a 180 degree hinge to allow for easy full access to the machines. Next we tackled the master bath which is an en suite arrangement. The original was typical of the 1980’s with the vanity outside of the bathroom, situated near the master closet. And the brown theme continued here with multiple shades of brown. Our first move was to segment off the bath and the closet from the master bedroom. We created a short hall from the bedroom to the bathroom with his and hers walk-in closets on the left and right as well as a separate toilet closet outside of the main bathroom for privacy and flexibility. The original bathroom had a giant soaking tub with steps (dangerous!) as well as a small shower that did not work well for our homeowner who is 6’3”. With other bathtubs in the home, they decided to eliminate the tub and create an oversized shower which takes up the space where the old tub was located. The double vanity is on the opposite wall and a bench is located under the window for morning conversations and a place to set a couple of towels. The pallet in here is light and airy with a mix of blond wood, creamy porcelain and marble tile, and brass accents. A simple roman shade adds some texture and it’s top-down mechanism allows for light and privacy. This large whole house remodel gave our homeowners not only the ability to maximize the potential of their home but also created a lovely new frame from which to view their fabulous lake views. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Kaskel For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Photo by Peter Molick

Dark window frames provide a sophisticated curb appeal. Added warmth from the wooden front door and fence completes the look for this modern farmhouse. Featuring Milgard® Ultra™ Series | C650 Windows and Patio doors in Black Bean.

The Back Bay House is comprised of two main structures, a nocturnal wing and a daytime wing, joined by a glass gallery space. The daytime wing maintains an informal living arrangement that includes the dining space placed in an intimate alcove, a large country kitchen and relaxing seating area which opens to a classic covered porch and on to the water’s edge. The nocturnal wing houses three bedrooms. The master at the water side enjoys views and sounds of the wildlife and the shore while the two subordinate bedrooms soak in views of the garden and neighboring meadow. To bookend the scale and mass of the house, a whimsical tower was included to the nocturnal wing. The tower accommodates flex space for a bunk room, office or studio space. Materials and detailing of this house are based on a classic cottage vernacular language found in these sorts of buildings constructed in pre-war north america and harken back to a simpler time and scale. Eastern white cedar shingles, white painted trim and moulding collectively add a layer of texture and richness not found in today’s lexicon of detail. The house is 1,628 sf plus a 228 sf tower and a detached, two car garage which employs massing, detail and scale to allow the main house to read as dominant but not overbearing. Designed by BC&J Architecture.

This cottage style architecture was created by adding a 2nd floor and garage to this small rambler. Photography: Sicora, Inc.

The Fall City Renovation began with a farmhouse on a hillside overlooking the Snoqualmie River valley, about 30 miles east of Seattle. On the main floor, the walls between the kitchen and dining room were removed, and a 25-ft. long addition to the kitchen provided a continuous glass ribbon around the limestone kitchen counter. The resulting interior has a feeling similar to a fire look-out tower in the national forest. Adding to the open feeling, a custom island table was created using reclaimed elm planks and a blackened steel base, with inlaid limestone around the sink area. Sensuous custom blown-glass light fixtures were hung over the existing dining table. The completed kitchen-dining space is serene, light-filled and dominated by the sweeping view of the Snoqualmie Valley. The second part of the renovation focused on the master bathroom. Similar to the design approach in the kitchen, a new addition created a continuous glass wall, with wonderful views of the valley. The blackened steel-frame vanity mirrors were custom-designed, and they hang suspended in front of the window wall. LED lighting has been integrated into the steel frames. The tub is perched in front of floor-to-ceiling glass, next to a curvilinear custom bench in Sapele wood and steel. Limestone counters and floors provide material continuity in the space. Sustainable design practice included extensive use of natural light to reduce electrical demand, low VOC paints, LED lighting, reclaimed elm planks at the kitchen island, sustainably harvested hardwoods, and natural stone counters. New exterior walls using 2x8 construction achieved 40% greater insulation value than standard wall construction. Photo: Benjamin Benschneider