Shelter
The Ultimate Backyard Accessory? A Sauna
What makes a house a home? For one Seattle couple, the answer seems to be a personal touch, and a little heat
This article appears in print in the July 2018 issue. Click here to subscribe. A dedicated space at home for artistic endeavors is common enough in a creative city like Seattle, but a matching sauna? It was an obvious pairing for painter Natasha (who asked that we not use her last name) who was in need of a…
This Modern Outdoor Table Also Stores Your Drinks
A modern outdoor table gets its signature finish from an ancient element
This article appears in print in the July 2018 issue. Click here to subscribe. Susan Mills, owner of Susan Mills Showroom (Seattle Design Center, SoDo, 5701 Sixth Ave. S, Suite 200; 206.682.6388 ), believes outdoor furniture to be as important as what you find indoors, and options beyond the standard teak and powder-coated stainless steel to be as…
The Ultimate Backyard Accessory? A Sauna
What makes a house a home? For one Seattle couple, the answer seems to be a personal touch, and a little heat
This article appears in print in the July 2018 issue. Click here to subscribe. A dedicated space at home for artistic endeavors is common enough in a creative city like Seattle, but a matching sauna? It was an obvious pairing for painter Natasha (who asked that we not use her last name) who was in need of a…
This Modern Outdoor Table Also Stores Your Drinks
A modern outdoor table gets its signature finish from an ancient element
This article appears in print in the July 2018 issue. Click here to subscribe. Susan Mills, owner of Susan Mills Showroom (Seattle Design Center, SoDo, 5701 Sixth Ave. S, Suite 200; 206.682.6388 ), believes outdoor furniture to be as important as what you find indoors, and options beyond the standard teak and powder-coated stainless steel to be as…
Clean and Serene, This Point Roberts Home Is One Light House
A Point Roberts family home emphasizes fresh air and natural light
Facing south towards the Strait of Georgia and the San Juan Islands, the Point Roberts home of Sonya and David Liu is laid out around a long, L-shaped plan to best angle major spaces, like the large trellised terrace, towards the southern sun
Create a Cozy Outdoor Space with a Backyard Fire Pit
Toasty warm gathering spots can be as simple—and affordable—as a run to Target.
As an author who writes books about science and nature, West Seattleite Lyanda Haupt relies on sharp binoculars, a clean hand lens and a pair of sturdy walking shoes. A less likely tool? Her backyard fire pit. “I love it!” she says. “It brings me outside when I wouldn’t otherwise be there.” In the evening,…
The Ultimate Water Saver
Giant rain barrels and Washington's first legal grey water system set this Jackson Place home at a h
The 1,750-square-foot house architect Robert Humble designed for himself and his wife is entirely nontraditional for Seattle. It’s modern, flat-roofed and boxy, and was prefabricated off-site and delivered by truck in sections to the skinny, empty lot owned by Humble and his wife, Nicole. But that doesn’t mean the owner hasn’t tried to integrate it…
A New Low of Toxicity Levels
A Ballard resident uses simple strategies to rid her bungalow of harmful, hidden chemicals.
You wouldn’t think a Ballard bungalow with pink asbestos siding and lead paint would appeal to a couple with an interest in the environment, but Rachel and Izaak Koller planned to remodel the Ballard home themselves—wearing suitable hazmat gear. Thanks to the previous tenants, the couple had to remove or remake nearly everything in the…
Inside Seattle’s Super-Eco Homes
You don't have to go totally gaga for green to reap the rewards of a few simple home-improvement mov
Those who grew up in the 1970s may recall the appearance of a brick in the bathroom toilet tank—a popular do-it-yourself water-saving measure. Fortunately, living green has become a little more sophisticated in recent decades. In Seattle—a city famous for its green-built, LEED-certified offices, restaurants and condos—many residents have taken the green-living ethos into their…
Super Efficient Energy
A Rainier Vallery homeowner employs the common sense - and human powered - Passive House standard.
The first time Dan Whitmore welcomed a group of friends to the nearly completed Rainier Valley home he was building for his family, it was a bit like a treasure hunt. “It was our first blower door test,” says the goateed contractor. (A blower door test is performed to check airtightness of a house and…
Kippen House Chicken Coops Make Backyard Baryards Modern
A Seattle architect has invented a chic coop perfect for urban backyards.
The shabby chicken coops of Old McDonald’s farm might look out of place in the city, but thanks to architect Traci Fontyn, owner and founder of Bothell’s Kippen House chicken coops (kippenhouse.com), urban dwellers can still enjoy fresh, organic eggs from their own small lots. These cool coops combine chicken housing with human gardening for…