PROJECT NOTEBOOK
Year built: 1952
Project length: 10 months Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 3
Square footage: 2,837
FLOOR PLAN PUZZLE
With the goal of having three bedrooms all on one floor and an open main living space, the team reimagined the home’s previously closed-off and inefficient floor plan. By repurposing space, the team at Best Practice was able to add a new bedroom and bathroom on the upper floor. Then the existing bathroom on the main floor was modified to be a part of a new master suite, and the previously closed-off kitchen was opened to the living and dining rooms. A small addition at the rear of the house made for a new mudroom entrance, while a new deck on the front of the house let the homeowners take in an amazing view of downtown Seattle.
SPLURGE VS. SAVE
When to Splurge
Bigger is sometimes better, as in the case of the large accordion-style door that opens to the home’s new deck. This splurge is more than a statement-making design choice—it is an investment that directly benefits the family’s desired use of the home.
How to Save
Budgets can mean making tough calls. Here, the Krolls had planned to loft the ceiling in the living and dining room but eventually had to decide against the plan. Budgets can also be made to stretch, as in their decision to simplify some of the design details like hardware and plumbing fixtures.
INTENTIONAL DESIGN
Wanting to protect their home’s best period elements and still personalize the space, the Krolls balanced preservation with the addition of other midcentury elements as well as modern touches.
Preserved:
• Kitchen cabinets
• Blue cast-iron tub
• Matching blue toilet
• Hardwood floors
• Vintage lights
Period Additions:
• Open space
• Tongue-and-groove cedar panels
Modern Updates:
• Quartz countertops
• New cabinets
• Use of steel and glass
• Lighting fixtures
• Bright colors