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Houzz Tour: A Modern Renovation in Seattle
See How One Couple Turned 800 Square Feet Into an Eye-Popping Modern Gem
Wife and husband Lauren and Kyle Zerbey know their way around a renovation: The two architects have been in the process of one for the past 4 years! Needless to say, their 800 square-foot Seattle fixer-upper, built in 1910, was in need of lots of work when they bought it (see before shots in the comments section). The first few years alone went to updating electrical and mechanical systems, replacing the roof and beefing up the structure. And by no means have they been resting on their laurels since then. The entire inside has been gutted and reconfigured to better utilize every inch of the home's small footprint.
The couple chronicle the whole process — including eye-popping before and afters — on their blog, Chezerbey. Read on for how they got their house to the beautiful stage it's in now.
The couple chronicle the whole process — including eye-popping before and afters — on their blog, Chezerbey. Read on for how they got their house to the beautiful stage it's in now.
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Inside, the renovation was broken into chapters to maintain a livable space while completely revamping the home. Lauren and Kyle redesigned the floor plan to turn this one-bedroom layout into a three-bedroom home.
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The couple completely revamped the exterior a year ago. (See it before in the comments section.) During the 1960s, white aluminum siding went up over the original cedar and all the trim was painted teal. They took off all the aluminum siding and then took the cedar siding down to bare wood before priming and painting the exterior a dark blue-gray color.
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The leaky aluminum windows were switched out for new metal-clad wood windows, and all of the trim and cedar shingles at the base were replaced.
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After the repair work was done, the first phase was to make the place livable by gutting and redoing the bedroom and bathroom.
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Lauren and Kyle gave this Ikea vanity a dose of individuality by wrapping it in teak plywood. It also gives the piece a more finished look.
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The mirror and cabinet are a discontinued model, also from Ikea.
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The couple created a leaf-like installation on one wall out of toilet paper rolls.
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A window ledge provides just enough room for some fresh blooms.
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Next, the bedroom got spiffed up with refinished floors and new drywall. By mounting Artemide lights to the wall, the couple saved valuable nightstand space.
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| Those bird "decals" are actually a DIY project, made from felt (for the birds) and twine (for the wire). |
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| The bedroom's former closet became the space for the bathroom, so the couple installed this wardrobe system on the other side of the room for storage. A curtain hides it away when not in use. |
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Next, they moved on to the kitchen and living areas. Elements like the open shelving, butcher block island and exposed spice rack provide warmth and detail to the space.
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Lauren states, "There are also pragmatic reasons behind the open shelving — it's where we store our everyday dishes, which means they're easily accessible and never get dusty because they're constantly being used. The cabinets can then hide other items, like our collection of mismatched coffee mugs!"
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The kitchen is now in place where the former back porch and bathroom used to be. Because the kitchen is completely exposed, the couple designed it to feel like a built-in within the open living space.
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Lauren and Kyle used Ikea's kitchen planner to best configure the layout and cabinets before purchasing.
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In an effort to beat the gloomy Seattle weather, they installed bigger windows, a skylight, and left the walls white to reflect the sun.
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The microwave is cleverly concealed in a nook inside the kitchen island.
See more space-saving solutions for small kitchens.
See more space-saving solutions for small kitchens.
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Varying ceiling shapes help to differentiate the zones of the main living area.
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A vaulted ceiling over the dining visually separates the room from the rest of the open space.
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The coffee table opens to store magazines, remotes and other odds and ends.
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A view of the kitchen, dining, and living areas.
The couple is still working on the remaining two bedrooms, one of which will be in the newly created loft space above the living area.
The couple is still working on the remaining two bedrooms, one of which will be in the newly created loft space above the living area.
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Follow the rest of Kyle and Lauren's renovation process over on their blog, Chezerbey.
Thanks for sharing your home with us, Lauren and Kyle!
More Houzz Tours:
A Modern Home for Newlyweds
San Francisco Victorian Renovation with a Modern Twist
Design Secrets from a Dallas Model Home
Next: Browse more modern homes
Thanks for sharing your home with us, Lauren and Kyle!
More Houzz Tours:
A Modern Home for Newlyweds
San Francisco Victorian Renovation with a Modern Twist
Design Secrets from a Dallas Model Home
Next: Browse more modern homes
Ideabook updated on May 9, 2012.
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Real people who worked their butts off to create a beautiful (appearance and function) space.
I am however a bit suspect on the long-term sustainability of plywood Countertop with undermount sinks and a plywood shelf in the shower. Other than that; great taste and style.
Bravo!
To answer the few questions:
@ kkspokane: the drum pendant is from West Elm.
@ 12steps4remodel: the ledge in the shower/tub was added for easy to reach storage and a little extra elbow room.
@ gordonbuilt : the ledge at the tub and in the shower are both solid teak (treated with varnish) so no worries about moisture. The teak plywood at the vanity is a bit of an experiment, but so far it's holding up really well. (We applied a protective finish to both the surface and inside face of the plywood at the sink.)