This is a project from a few years ago that is typical of our remodel projects in this post-economic meltdown era. Prior to the 2008 economic crisis, many young Seattle families would simply 'trade up' as they outgrew their houses. This project represents the new reality for middle class homeowners who cannot afford to take a loss on the sale of their current house and then purchase a new home for their expanding family. Like families everywhere, many of our clients are also tied to the neighborhood where they have put down roots for several years. But for the house they have outgrown, these clients would actually prefer to stay where they currently live.

The solution to both of these problems is the classic second story addition. This project allows homeowners to invest the transaction costs from the sale of one house and the purchase of another into their current house while effectively doubling the size of this current structure. This project also ensures that homeowners end up with a home that has new electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems, upgraded window and insulation packages, as well as creating a home that is a truer reflection of their personal taste and lifestyle.

Our clients for this project had lived in this home for a number of years, gotten married and started a family. Within a few years of the birth of their children, our clients were debating their housing options when they finally decided to hang onto their large in-city lot and remodel. Our solution surgically inserts a staircase at one end of the living room on the main level and creates a grand upper level hall that leads to a laundry area, 2 kids bedrooms and a master suite with a large walk-in closet, sitting area and 5-piece master bath.

On the exterior, we enveloped these spaces with a shell that maintains the scale of the neighboring structures. To further reduce the roof and wall mass, we hipped the gable ends and added a shed dormer over the front door to announce the building’s entry. Finally, we dressed the upper story with a shingled craftsman vocabulary that is a hallmark of Seattle residential architecture.