--- title: "Whitney Architecture — Architects & Building Designers | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/whitney-architecture-pfvwus-pf~1166311761 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1166311761.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Whitney Architecture" category: ["Architects"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/05c3c6e60142095d_2270-w400-h400-b1-p10--.jpg address: "1537 NW Ballard Way, Seattle, Washington 98107, United States" latitude: 47.6701 longitude: -122.3763 phone: "(206) 789-3934" website: http://www.whitneyarchitecture.com rating: 4.6 review_count: 8 best_of_houzz_awards: 7 followers: 275 last_updated: 2026-09-13 --- # Whitney Architecture Original Houzz profile: [Whitney Architecture](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/whitney-architecture-pfvwus-pf~1166311761) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Architects - **Location:** Seattle, WA - **Serves:** Seattle - **Houzz rating:** 4.6 out of 5 (8 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 7 awards (2014–2024), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 50,000 Ideabook Saves Whitney Architecture is a Design firm located in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. We specialize in custom residential remodels and new homes as well as mixed use projects across the Pacific Northwest. Whitney Architecture was founded when Paul moved to Seattle in 1991. We started out small and have remained that way by choice. With our group of five architects, we are able to provide personalized service to our clients and remain accessible to them throughout the entire design, permitting and building process. Our clients have greatly appreciated the ease with which they can contact us with questions or concerns. With over twenty years of working with building departments across the Pacific Northwest, we know what it takes to permit projects and to provide clear and detailed construction sets for the contractors we work with. At the heart of Whitney Architecture lies a genuine passion for design with vitality and a commitment to building respectful and authentic relationships with our clients. Creating an exquisite and functional living space is based upon collaboration between client and architect; we work closely with our clients, embracing every idea and insight as we transform aspiration to design, design to reality. With no preconception of style, the potential of any project is unlimited. We recognize that the design of a new home or the remodel of an existing one is a process that is potentially stressful for some people. We take the time to listen and have often been referred to as "the calm in the storm". We strive to assist our clients in navigating this process with the result being the perfect home for them. Frequent and clear communication along with skillful and elegant design result in living spaces that serve our clients well for many years to come. ### Areas Served - Seattle ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Whitney Architecture | | Address | 1537 NW Ballard Way, Seattle, Washington 98107, United States | | Phone | (206) 789-3934 | | Website | http://www.whitneyarchitecture.com | | License Number | 6406 | | Followers on Houzz | 275 | ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Whitney Architecture](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/whitney-architecture-pfvwus-pf~1166311761) - **Website:** http://www.whitneyarchitecture.com - **Phone:** (206) 789-3934 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Certified Passive House Consultants - Built Green - **Best of Houzz:** 7 awards (2014–2024), for Design, Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 4.6 out of 5 — 8 reviews** ### All 8 reviews **★★★ — Mark Vanderveen, Jan. 2020** > We interviewed a number of architects and eventually decided to hire Paul. Having worked through the entire process of building a custom home, I now have a better appreciation for the many challenges involved. It is extremely difficult to design and build any such project. Paul did an adequate job but there were two major design flaws that cost us quite a bit of time and money. Even though we reviewed the construction drawings dozens of times, the problems did not become apparent until we actually began building and could see everything clearly in three dimensions. By the time we became aware of the design flaws it would have been more expensive and time-consuming to tear-out the work that had been done and correct the problems. The finished home is beautiful and no one except for us and our builder will ever know that we wasted $100,000 and that the house took an extra two months to build because of design flaws. Unless you have a great deal of experience in the industry, dealing with these types of issues may be inevitable when you build a true custom home from scratch. **★★★★★ — justinvp, Oct. 2014** > We interviewed several architects and ended up hiring Paul Whitney who seemed to do beautiful work and had a good communication style. The process went incredibly well, and we definitely hired the right architect. We would certainly work with him again (but might now since we're now in our dream house). > > We designed a northwest contemporary home. It was technically a remodel, but we only kept the basement exterior walls. We focused on style, functionality and efficiency. He took our ideas and turned them into something great. > > The entire process went amazingly well. Paul's contacts in the industry also proved valuable as we hired a contractor that he had worked with many times. > > All around it was an incredible process, the design process went very smoothly, and we are absolutely in love with our dream home. Thanks Paul for helping us achieve our vision. **★★★★★ — 918supreme, Sept. 2014** > After interviewing a half dozen architects whose work we admired—and receiving a surprisingly wide range of bids—we went with Whitney Architecture because of Paul's collected nature, his obvious competence, and above all, his willingness to collaborate. His bid was also the best value for a firm that does all of its design, drafting, and permitting in-house. > The first round of concepts for our almost entirely new-construction home were beautifully drafted by hand by Paul himself. We progressed quickly through the design process because he nailed the floorplan on the first try. The house he designed for us is so unique and fun to live in, and it embraces our private, forested lot exactly the way we had hoped. Though we didn't incorporate every cool detail of his original design and we made our own, very modest, interior finish decisions, the overall flavor of the house was never compromised because it was such a strong design to begin with. > Paul's talent with a pen was convenient on site visits when he was able to whip out his roll of tracing paper and sketch a clarification or design a detail on the fly. The day our back patio was being poured, he came up with a slick-looking stair detail on the spot that was a huge improvement over what the contractor was planning to do. And, early on, when our original builder wasn't as flexible as we had hoped, he drew from his decades-long relationships with many construction firms to suggest a better match for our project. For this reason, I believe Whitney Architecture is an excellent choice for any size construction budget. **★★★★★ — alexkai, Sept. 2013** > We have the pleasure of working with Paul Whitney and his team for a number of different projects. Paul and his team show an exemplary amount of design talent, inspiring creativity and fantastic plan execution. As a builder, our group relies on this type of organized design service, which provides an exceptional amount of detail in order to deliver our clients an outstanding product. His team consistently delivers on-time, accurately budgeted Architecture and Engineering services that truly capture the clients vision of their project. We are proud to be associated with Whitney Architecture and look forward to many successful projects in the future!! > > Alex Schenkar > Schenkar Construction Design/Build LLC > www.citydesignbuild.com > 1-800-279-8461 **★★★★★ — cathleencarney, March 2013** > 5 Stars for Whitney Architecture! My husband and I renovated a 1920's Queen Anne home and we hired Whitney Architecture for the design work and consulting on the project. Paul thoughtfully designed the kitchen and upper second level for us. We could not be more pleased with the final results. Thank you Paul! **★★★★★ — User, March 2013** > This was our first remodel project and working with Whitney Architecture has been an exciting, rewarding, and inspiring experience. With just a few of our ideas, Paul came back with several options that blew us away. As we narrowed down to our final choice, it was like having a conversation with a friend to work through the details and understand all the options. Now that construction is under way, the team at Whitney is incredibly attentive and responsive to all our needs. When there have been surprises during the construction, Paul is the first one to mobilize the solutions. We couldn't be more pleased. **Comment from Whitney Architecture:** > Laney, > We are so excited to see your new home emerging! It is wonderful to work with clients who are so engaged in the design process. Thanks for the feedback! **★★★★★ — Anne Viggiano Color & Design, Jan. 2013** > Paul and his whole crew are talented and experienced. Paul is known for his patience, and his listening skills~ he is excellent at collaborating and he really takes into consideration all the needs of the family and works well with contractors. If you want an easy redesign process- Paul Whitney is your guy. He can design both cutting edge modern and traditional homes with modern architectural features. **★★★★ — Banyon Tree Design Studio, Nov. 2012** > As a certified landscape designer and architect, I find working with Paul and the team at Whitney Architecture a satisfying and rewarding process. The firm believes highly in the collaboration between the architecture and the land. This is a client benefit that enhances and improves the outcome of any new or remodeled custom residential project. > > There is a high level attention to detail and quality at Whitney Architecture, and coordinating the relationship between architecture and landscape achieves a deeper level design outcome for the clients. I would definitely recommend Whitney Architecture for your custom residential design needs. ## Selected projects - [Wilkswood- New Home in Magnolia](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/wilkswood-new-home-in-magnolia-pj-vj~688931) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 16 - [Hawthorne Hills Modern Renovation](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/hawthorne-hills-modern-renovation-pj-vj~323508) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 11 - [Seward Park- Pacific Northwest Modern](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/seward-park-pacific-northwest-modern-pj-vj~192243) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 5 - [Edgewater Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/edgewater-residence-pj-vj~1413935) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 13 - [Sunset Hill- Micro-Modern](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/sunset-hill-micro-modern-pj-vj~341710) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 20 - Description: This is an extensive remodel to an existing single family home. The spaces in the original house were cramped and for this family that works from home and also home schools their two children, that just was not working. The new home is spacious without being too large for the scale of the neighborhood. At 2500 sq feet, is is a modest, yet stunning addition to the Sunset Hill area of Ballard. The home was built by Fairbank Construction with additional metal work by Dyna Metal - [Guemes Island Vacation Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/guemes-island-vacation-home-pj-vj~193325) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - [Lake Forest Park- New Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lake-forest-park-new-home-pj-vj~193114) - Location: Lake Forest Park, WA - Photos: 7 - Description: The home owners asked Paul to design a home in the Hampton's Style for their property on Lake Washington. It is a beautifully crafted home that will serve the family for many generations. - [North Beach Mid-Century Modern](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/north-beach-mid-century-modern-pj-vj~193128) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 4 - [Bellevue 41st- Eco Village](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bellevue-41st-eco-village-pj-vj~200552) - Location: Bellevue, WA - Photos: 4 - [Wedgewood Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/wedgewood-residence-pj-vj~192229) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 5 - [Northbend-Northwest Ecclectic](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/northbend-northwest-ecclectic-pj-vj~323541) - Location: Northbend, WA - Photos: 12 - Description: This home sits just outside of Northbend, beneath Mt. Si. It is the perfect place to find solace in the foothills of the Cascades. - [Lake Washington Modern-Under Construction](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/lake-washington-modern-under-construction-pj-vj~319849) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 7 - Description: This new home designed by Paul Whitney is scheduled to be finished in Spring 0f 2014. The great room has expansive views of Lake Washington and Mt. Rainier. We will have more photos soon! - [Pioneer Square Condo](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pioneer-square-condo-pj-vj~192253) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 5 - Description: This condominium in downtown Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood features a "floating" staircase and the distinct artistic touch of its owners. The kids were giving liberty to design their bedrooms. This tech-savvy family enjoys "gaming" together and finds this space well suited to their needs. - [Seattle Yoga Arts](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/seattle-yoga-arts-pj-vj~192352) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 3 - [Leschi- Modern Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/leschi-modern-residence-pj-vj~193347) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 27 - [Madison Park Residence](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/madison-park-residence-pj-vj~192400) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - [Capitol Hill Modern](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/capitol-hill-modern-pj-vj~323693) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 8 - [Bellevue 41st- Eco Village 2](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bellevue-41st-eco-village-2-pj-vj~323597) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - [South Lake Washington Modern](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/south-lake-washington-modern-pj-vj~323647) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 10 - Description: Residential Remodel - [Olympic Manor Residence/ Interior Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/olympic-manor-residence-interior-remodel-pj-vj~323624) - Location: Seattle, WA - Photos: 6 - Description: Interior remodel to an existing mid-century home. [See all 38 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/whitney-architecture-pfvwus-pf~1166311761) ## Community Q&A **Q: What is the footprint of this house? How many square feet?** *(in Photo Questions)* I"m curious to know the size of this house - square feet, footprint dims, beds/baths, etc. A: This is a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home and is 2200 square feet of livable space. **Q: What size and style are the couches?** *(in Photo Questions)* What size and style are the couches? Thank you! A: The home owner specified the sofas. Sorry I do not have that info. **Q: What is the wall paint color** *(in Photo Questions)* A: We did not specify the paint color. **Q: Where can I purchase a post lamp like this?** *(in Photo Questions)* A: We did not specify this lighting, but you could try Renaissance Lighting. http://www.rclfinc.com/ **Q: Fireplace** *(in Photo Questions)* Is the fireplace gas or electric? A: This is a gas fireplace. **Q: Coffee table** *(in Photo Questions)* Where can I get the coffee table? A: We did not specify the furniture, so I can't tell you where they got it. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-13.*