A Seattle Wallingford Neighborhood Home is Transformed

BACKGROUND 

This home in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood was already a decent size at 2,320 square feet, but our clients knew they could get more from their space. They had a few goals for re-designing their home when they came to us: a new primary suite, a finished basement with one bedroom/office and a kitchen open to the rest of the home. 

PRIMARY SUITE RENOVATION: THE CHALLENGE & STRATEGY 

The original footprint of this Wallingford neighborhood home did not have a primary suite, but the primary bedroom was already nice-sized, yet it felt “tight” because of the low ceilings. Additionally, there also wasn’t an attached bath. After investigating the attic space, we saw room to raise the bedroom ceiling a foot. The higher ceilings make the room more voluminous, especially now that the window trims no longer infringe on the ceiling.  

A primary suite needs a bath, and we transformed a small bedroom at the end of the hall into a primary suite bath. The frameless shower doors invite you into the spa-like shower with both a traditional and an adjustable/hand-held shower head. The handcrafted tile in the bathroom shower is exquisite, and the shower niche is perfectly centered with the tiles. The double-vanity countertop is quartz, and lovely sconces flank the medicine cabinet mirrors.  

KITCHEN RENOVATION: THE CHALLENGE & STRATEGY 

The original kitchen in this Wallingford neighborhood home was typical of Seattle: functional but dated. To make due, the owners installed a portable kitchen island in the room, and while this provided more countertop space to work, it greatly hindered flow and made the kitchen feel even more cramped than it already was. 

We designed this kitchen renovation to be open. We removed the wall between the kitchen and the family room, which opened the space to the family room and created a nice flow between spaces. Where the wall once stood, a long kitchen island was built with a gourmet-style gas stove and hood.

The cabinetry is Dura Supreme’s Carson model in a lovely Cappuccino on Cherry finish, and the countertops are Topline’s Stratus Quartz (Unique Calacatta). 

The mudroom off the kitchen was transformed into a butler-style pantry with plenty of storage. In addition, the kitchen is full of touches to give the space a fresh, modern feel, such as open shelving, a gorgeous tile backsplash by Tabaeka Studio (Paris Metro 14 in Charcoal and Paprika On Off White), stainless steel appliances and flat black plumbing and cabinetry fixtures.  

Light is abundant throughout the space – from natural sources and ceiling elements. The pendant lights are Folk Abigail 10” Soft Cone by Rejuvenation. The one over the sink is Unglazed Toast, Oil-Rubbed Bronze and the island pendants are Unglazed Vanilla, Oil-Rubbed Bronze.   

The kitchen remodel was the space where we found our biggest challenges. We encountered unexpected obstacles that meant reworking the plumbing behind the refrigerator, and we also had to modify the cabinet so it would fit. The mudroom ceiling had a slope, making fitting the door trim an absorbing carpentry task.  

BASEMENT RENOVATION: THE CHALLENGE & STRATEGY 

The basement was previously uninhabitable. It was primarily used for housing the mechanical systems and storage. The owner wanted a finished basement with room for storage.  

To make the basement habitable and to protect the items stored below level, we needed to first waterproof the basement, as the basement had seen water infiltration in the past. From there, we could construct a nice secondary family room for the family/exercise space while keeping the storage and mechanicals out of sight behind newly built walls.  

WALLINGFORD NEIGHBORHOOD REMODEL: THE RESULTS

With this Wallingford neighborhood home renovation, our client modernized their home, made it more comfortable and enjoyable for their family and got more livable space through the basement remodel—without adding one square foot to their original home. The homeowner was happy that the thoughtful design detail mimicked the traditional style of the house while feeling elevated and new.  

Ready to modernize and refresh your Seattle home? Contact us today at Harjo Construction. We look forward to creating the space you’ve always wanted.