2024 Remodeled Homes Tour
September 22 from 1-4pm
Sahalee Community, Sammamish
Challenge
- House built in 1993; kitchen & family room were builder-grade and outdated
- Doors, doorways, & windows were in odd places making flow of traffic and furniture placement awkward
- Downdraft didn’t work well, giant island was an awkward shape
- 90's kitchen desk was unused and wasted space
- Built in bread box was broken and unreparable
- With the odd, divided layout of the large space it lacked a communal feeling
- Access to their beautiful covered outdoor entertaining area was poorly placed
- The clients wanted a 60” range & large fridge space for big family meals
- The stone fireplace surroundwas updated and we needed to complement the style
- Clients wanted a cozy luxe lodge look inspired by a home with a very different scale
- A larger range limited location options due to the type of hood required and the existing roof framing
Solution
- Rearranged floorplan for aesthetic and functional daily use
- Relocated or removed multiple windows and doors to improve daylight in preferred areas
- Removed and replaced hardwood floors throughout
- Selected new custom cabinetry
- Updated the look of the great room by darkening the millwork
- Refinished the existing mantel to complement new aesthetic
- Relocated the cooking and installed an over the range hood
- New floorplan including deleting the built-in breadbox and reach in pantry in favor of tall pantry storage with better access (ie. Roll-out shelves)
- Installed five new outswing doors to improve access their exterior covered deck
Creating a family gathering space that centered around cooking and outdoor living was a top priority for this client. The space they had was large, but was oddly configured, did not have enough seating, and was dark. It did not meet their needs and they wanted solutions to the layout and function as well as leaning into the luxurious feeling of being in a lodge.
The clients selected a new larger range to include in the design, separate columns for panelized refrigeration and freezer, improving the use of storage and counterspace for workstations allowing the family to cook together. We also maximized pantry space, added an auxiliary prep sink, and built a large custom island making the large room feel communal and cozy with clean lines, natural light, and deep wood tones.
Part of the aesthetic challenge originated with doorways and doors interrupting wall space in a way that didn’t allow the room to have an orientation. We re-thought the layout as well as how the space was entered from all directions. Doors & windows were added, enlarged & moved to give ample light and better flow. The double set of French doors to the back deck allowed free flow and the single daily use door would conveniently lead to the BBQ all year round.
To give this space a luxe and cozy lodge feeling, we leaned into darkly stained walnut cabinetry for the perimeter and leathered Fantasy Brown quartzite for the countertops with a custom double OG edge detail. The trim work was painted a light shade of gray and the walls were clad in a grass paper cloth. Details on the island such as the corner details on all sides added interest and the cabinetry doors at the seating area have artistic metal people figures for handles.
The new design is perfect for this active family. They are able to use this new space to it’s fullest, it is light & bright and was a rewarding space to design & build.
