Kenmore Home

Kenmore, WA

Freshly and soon-to-be retired, the owners of a 1950s home in Kenmore, Washington realized they were not necessarily looking forward to spending more time at home. Their location on a south-facing hillside with views of Lake Washington was a dream, but the house itself was far from their dream home. In 2018, WC STUDIO architects were tasked with taking the property from “Ughh” to “Ahhh.”  The full-home renovation spanning approximately 40 months from design to completion was finished Summer 2022. According to the owners, the unexpected challenges of moving back into their revamped home have been “never wanting to leave the house” and “jealous friends and family.”

Highlights of this down-to-the-studs interior/exterior renovation include:

• Relocated garage and added mudroom, storage, primary suite, and guest bath on main level

• Reorganized floor plan for 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, home office/family room, and laundry room on lower level

• Vaulted ceiling over the main living areas

• 13-foot accordion door opening from kitchen/dining area to deck

• Fresh interior finishes and contemporary low-maintenance siding package

• Energy-efficiency upgrades including fresh air ventilation system, heat pump heating and cooling, new doors and windows, additional insulation and air-tightness, solar panels

Except for repositioning the garage and adding a new deck that wraps the south and east elevations, the transformation of the home took place entirely within the existing envelope. Shifting the location of the stair within the floor plan improved the spatial efficiency and flow of both levels of the house. A majority of the interior walls were reconfigured for better utilization of the available space. The new floor plan makes the renovated home feel significantly larger than it was without increasing the footprint one square inch. Properly proportioned rooms feel and function better without needing to grow in size, and storage space is now more plentiful and usable.

Whereas the previous foyer felt dark and narrow, the new entryway is bright and welcoming. New slate flooring provides a durable landing pad for stepping out of rainboots and defines the area as separate from the living space although the wall between was removed. The alignment of the new stair and foyer also forms a natural division between the social and private spaces of the home’s main floor. The open-plan sitting, dining, and cooking spaces benefit from the increased interior volume of the vaulted ceiling, expanded views over Lake Washington, and the ability to spill out onto the deck when the 13-foot accordion door is fully open. The indoor-outdoor connection is subtly reinforced by the wood detail at the vaulted ceiling beams as a continuation of the exposed roof beams.

The original location of the front porch is now tucked into a cozy nook at the intersection of the house and the new garage.

The front and rear entrances are marked with distinctive blue doors.

White oak elements at the ceiling, island, and pantry match the wood species of the hardwood flooring covering the main level. Black cabinet hardware, lighting, and plumbing fixtures were specified throughout to match the window frames. The slate backsplash behind the range relates to the entryway floor tile. Along with the stainless steel appliance package, the balance of the interior finishes form a crisp neutral and white background for furniture, textiles, books, and artwork.

At some point in the home’s history, a garage was added to the south side of the lower level of the existing home. On the one hand, this addition provided a large south-facing deck at the level of the garage roof accessible from the main floor. On the other hand, the former garage stole the majority of the daylit basement’s southern exposure, blocking natural light, views outside, and free heat to the place in the home it was most needed. Another adverse effect was the disconnection from the home’s main entrance. Rather than make the outdoor trek to the upper level, the dark and cluttered basement became the defacto entrance to the home. To remedy this underwhelming arrival experience and reclaim natural light for the lower level, the garage was relocated to the northwest corner of the house. The original location of the front porch, once out of the way, is now tucked into a cozy nook at the intersection of the house and the new garage. The front and rear entrances are marked with distinctive blue doors.

The exterior renovation replaced painted wood siding and trim with low-maintenance materials. A mix of black corrugated metal and Parklex wood veneer panels complement the exposed glue-laminated beams and salvaged existing brick. New south-facing clerestory windows installed just below the roof overhang will capture winter sunlight and be shaded from summer rays. Sunlight is welcome year-round at the PV array on the southern slope of the garage’s gable roof. The 13.2 kW array brings the home close to net zero due to the airtight, well-insulated envelope, and efficient HVAC equipment.

Shout out to Weitzel Construction for a well-executed project.

Photos by Alex Herbig.