Puget View Home
I found this 1981 home one day when touring inventory and it captured my attention with its soaring wood ceilings, bay views, and large yard with a water feature. Despite its potential, the house was weighed down by deferred maintenance, outdated finishes and, in particular, layout challenges.
We took on a two-year renovation during the height of COVID and spent a lot of time trying to respect the interesting design elements. In addition to the larger layout changes, it was possible to make a number of smaller changes that still made a big impact. The result was a complete transformation into a warm, modern home that highlights its best features and celebrates the view.
This lovely courtyard had great potential, but the multilevel, dated deck made it difficult to use. By installing large flagstone pavers and new steps, the space was opened up and allowed room for complementary container gardening. The hot tub was situated next to the retaining wall and covered for year-round use, while the new layout also made room for a fire pit and comfortable seating on the opposite side.
We loved that the home feels understated from the street, but wanted the entry to feel warm and welcome you in with a contemporary edge. The flat-panel modern door has a sidelight that creates beautiful sight lines to the fountain on the entry landing. A large mobile style pendant was added to draw the eye up to the dramatic 18-foot ceiling, instantly giving the space a fresh, cohesive sense of scale and style.
The backsplash tile was one of our earliest design selections, inspired by the bamboo growing throughout the garden—beautiful, fluid and something we are continually taming. Its appearance closely resembles Shou Sugi Ban, the traditional Japanese wood-burning technique used to preserve wood. The rich charcoal color and bold texture became a guiding force for choosing other elements in the kitchen like the softer look of the quartzite backsplash and the rich tone of the honed granite counters.
Opening up the space truly began with the installation of a large support beam, which made it possible to remove the intrusive center post that had limited both layout and flow. With the expanded footprint, we incorporated two islands—maximizing prep space while greatly improving circulation. Because wall space was minimal for appliances, we extended the pantry wall 12 inches into the kitchen, creating a larger walk-in pantry that could keep small appliances housed and hidden away.
The custom-designed pantry doors add a touch of art and craftsmanship without overpowering the design, and they tie in beautifully with the charcoal tones of the quartzite backsplash and honed granite countertops.
The wall facing the view originally felt visually broken and choppy with a window and slider placed too close together. We saw an opportunity for a dramatic upgrade and installed a new structural header which allowed for the addition of a nine-foot-wide modern stacking slider. When fully open, it creates a seamless indoor/outdoor connection to the deck and maximizes both the view and natural light. It also greatly improves traffic flow, making the space ideal for entertaining.
Minimal changes can create a high-impact transformation, as seen here. Benjamin Moore’s Simply White was used throughout the home for its ability to perform beautifully in a variety of light conditions, while providing the perfect backdrop for colorful textiles and artwork. Widening the kitchen doorway transformed the transition from the entry and opened up the view. While wood floors run throughout much of the home, new carpet was installed in this room to preserve warmth and to balance the dramatic vaulted wood ceiling.
After exploring various freestanding options to elevate the hearth, I realized it needed something more substantial to anchor the corner. To create additional space for the half bath on the other side, the wall to the right of the hearth was pulled out by 12 inches. Once the new corner fireplace was installed, the hearth was wrapped in the same honed granite as the countertops, and the facing was crafted from painted Hardiplank designed to resemble metal—a far more cost-effective solution. This approach beautifully complemented the full-height brick face we loved and chose to leave in place.
The original laundry room was longer than necessary, and the house didn’t have a separate office. A damaged window looking into the "greenhouse" room was closed, and roughly a third of the space was framed off to create a dedicated office. Matching painted cabinetry was installed in both areas for a cohesive look throughout. And, one lower cabinet was left empty with inset mesh doors, creating a hidden dog kennel that blends seamlessly into the design—a perfect nighttime retreat for our beloved dog Pinot.
The guest bathroom originally felt choppy, with an unnecessary pocket door to an adjacent bedroom and limited storage. By closing off that door and reassigning space from a hallway closet, we expanded the bathroom’s functionality and storage. Remodeling during COVID made sourcing materials challenging, so the vanity and storage tower arrived in two different finishes and were custom painted to match. This project was a fun opportunity to explore a fresh color palette for me and soft watery green tones of the cost-effective Zellige-look ceramic tile worked perfectly.
The primary bedroom came with a surprising layout—behind the open bookcase was a large soaking tub with a bulky tile surround and a dated octagonal window. And beyond that was a small toilet room that completely blocked the view of the beautiful backyard and water feature. By closing in the bookcase wall, removing the tub and window, and installing expansive new windows, we transformed this awkward zone into a light-filled seating area with a striking view of the ever evolving garden.
The primary bathroom was tight, dark, and constrained by awkward closet access with the walk-in only reachable through the bathroom. We relocated that access to the bedroom and reassigned the space of the adjacent guest room closet to significantly expand the space. The new rear door now opens directly to the backyard, while a narrow window between the dual vanities perfectly frames the view. A strategic mix of tile was paired with dramatic wallpaper to complete the transformation into a true statement bathroom.
