Laurelhurst residence
SEED Studio (with Richartz Studios)
Seattle, WA
- ± 800 SF • .22 acres • $350 000
- partial house remodel & addition
This existing 1920's home is located in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Seattle and was remodeled ten years prior. The current owners were in need of a covered garage which had never been considered as a component in past remodels. Working with Richartz Studios we designed a new two car garage capped with an outdoor living area.
The garage rooftop provides an inviting outdoor connection from the kitchen through the family room. A three panel slide-fold door assembly allows for a large opening visually connecting the family room to the rooftop garden. Exiting out the slide-fold doors, overhead cover is provided by a crafted cedar and stainless steel canopy structure. Wood decking & steps provide a habitable area for seating and socializing down to the leather colored concrete roof deck. Decktop planter pots soften the crafted detailing.
A new multifunctional built-in straddles the modified dining room and adjacent family room. The built-in provides concealment of the television, electronic components, and toy storage facing the family room, while concurrently allowing for linen and dining-ware storage toward the dining room. When entertaining guests, the upper portion of the built-in accommodates folding doors to separate the dining and allow for grown up privacy while the children play in the family room area.
The site is dynamic with steep slopes bordered by a meandering street. The existing home has three entrances; rear, front, and side. The entrances were all visible from the street, and existing home orientation and a lack of landscape structure made it difficult for visitors to discern which door to approach. In addition to the garage, significant landscape planning was designed to enhance the visibility of the main front entrance, downplay the side entrance facing the street, and maintain access to the less prominent rear entrance. Procession through the landscape is enhanced with bluestone pavers, granite rockeries, privacy fences and careful plant selection.
