Creating a Dream Home

POTENTIAL BECOMES REALITY IN THE PERSONALITY-FILLED HOME OF A VISIONARY SEATTLE FAMILY.

Few things in life have the power to captivate like the sense of being home. That feeling is where the story of this Seattle renovation begins—on the sunny day in 2015 when Kevin Kroll walked into what would one day become his family’s dream home.

“I found it on Redfin and went first by myself to take a look. It was a sunny day and the view from the front door was captivating before I even walked in,” says Kevin. “After looking inside, I told Susie immediately she needed to come and look.”

The home’s midcentury charm shines through in the preservation of original features, including several light fixtures, the front door and its hardware, and the door chime.

SEEING THE POTENTIAL

The work of an unknown architect, the 1954 home had three bedrooms and two baths. While it was in good shape and had been well maintained, Kevin and Susie describe the original floorplan as “extremely inefficient” and little of the house had been updated.

“From our very first visit, together we had a vision for the main improvements we wanted to make,” says Kevin. They envisioned the home with a great room and an additional bedroom and bathroom, made possible with the elimination of a rear family room. Given the home’s location and incredible view, they dreamed of adding a deck out front.

“Our goal was to be respectful of the home’s original character but not be beholden to it.”—Ian Butcher, AIA

“While the original house had many of the characteristics we all love about midcentury design, it was in dire need of a refresh.”—Ian

Butcher, AIA

“This home was built in the midcentury, but it lacked some of the midcentury characteristics we love, like wide open space, and we wanted to transform it to bring out the elements we like best.”

The question, of course, was whether the Krolls would even get the house, given the competition and how much over asking price they might have to pay to get it—which would dig into their ability to renovate. Unlike most house-hunt stories, no one else bid on the house and the couple got it at asking price. Coming in right at budget meant that their renovation was indeed possible.

RENOVATIONS MADE REAL

Fast forward to 2017. The Kroll family had lived in the home for 10 months and they were ready to tackle those renovation ideas with the help of the team at Best Practice Architecture.

“While the original house had many of the characteristics we all love about midcentury design, it was in dire need of a refresh,” says Ian Butcher, AIA. Guiding the many decisions of the renovation process was a central idea: “Our goal was to be respectful of the home’s original character but not be beholden to it,” says Ian.

THE MUDROOM, MADE POSSIBLE BY A SMALL ADDITION TO THE REAR OF THE HOUSE, ALLOWS FOR AMPLE NATURAL LIGHT, THANKS TO LARGE WINDOWS. ALL OF THE HOME’S ORIGINAL SINGLE-PANE GLASS WINDOWS WITH ALUMINUM FRAMES WERE REPLACED WITH ENERGY-EFFICIENT FIBERGLASS WINDOWS.

In answer to the latter goal, Ian and his team looked first to the house itself. “Some details were taken directly from the existing details, such as door styles and trim. Other parts of our design were inspired by classic midcentury design, like the wood paneling and the mudroom addition.”

“In the kitchen we took a different approach entirely,” says Ian. “The house was built with mahogany cabinets that we wanted to keep as many of as possible, but the plan required some changes as well as new cabinets.” The solution? Whenever an original cabinet was modified, they painted it gray. Any new cabinets were white. “In our minds this created an interesting composition of complementary designs that feels unique but also right at home in this vintage house.”

This creative approach enabled Ian and the team at Best Practice to balance the Krolls’ desire for a more family-friendly open floor plan that doesn’t sacrifice midcentury character—or their unique personal style.

“This home was built in the midcentury, but it lacked some of the midcentury characteristics we love, like wide open space, and we wanted to transform it to bring out the elements we like best.”

THE KITCHEN IS KEY TO THE FAMILY’S DESIRE TO BALANCE OLD AND NEW. IF A CABINET IS PAINTED GRAY, IT’S A MODIFIED ORIGINAL. WHITE MEANS IT’S NEW. MAHOGANY? THOSE ARE THE REMAINING HALF OF THE HOME’S ORIGINAL CABINETS.

(TOP) THE FRONT DOOR IS ONE OF THE HOME’S ORIGINAL ELEMENTS PRESERVED BY KEVIN AND SUSIE.

(TOP) SINCE THE VIEW OF SEATTLE WAS A HUGE SELLING POINT OF THE HOME, THE KROLL FAMILY NEEDED TO MAXIMIZE THE FEATURE. IAN AND HIS TEAM DESIGNED A FRONT DECK IDEAL FOR TAKING IN THE VIEW, WHICH CAN BE ACCESSED FROM THE MAIN LIVING AREA VIA A LARGE GLASS ACCORDION-STYLE DOOR.

WHEN CONSTRUCTION BEGAN, THE KROLLS’ MAIN DESIRES REMAINED THE SAME AS WHEN THEY INITIALLY TOURED THE HOME: TO OPEN THE LIVING AND DINING ROOMS TO ONE ANOTHER, TO ADD ANOTHER BEDROOM (CREATING THREE ON THE HOME’S MAIN FLOOR) AND TO MODERNIZE WITHOUT LOSING CHARACTER.

THE IAN DESCRIBES HOME HAD AS WHAT “A POORLY CONSIDERED ADDITION COMPLETED SOMETIME LATER IN ITS LIFE.” IT WAS REMOVED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE KROLL FAMILY’S DREAM OPEN-CONCEPT FLOOR PLAN.

“THE HOUSE WAS NICE, BUT WE FELT IT HAD TONS MORE POTENTIAL,” SAYS KEVIN.

(TOP) PRIOR TO THE KROLLS REARRANGING THE FLOOR PLAN AND FINDING NEW WAYS TO INCORPORATE MIDCENTURY CHARACTER, THE HOME’S MECHANICS NEEDED ATTENTION. ALL OF THE UTILITIES WERE UPDATED, AND THE INSULATION AND WINDOWS WERE BROUGHT UP TO CURRENT ENERGY CODES.

(BOTTOM, RIGHT) BEYOND WANTING TO PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL POWDER-COATED BLUE STEEL TOILET AND TUB, BRIGHT COLORS ARE AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THE HOME’S DESIGN. THE HOMEOWNERS’ PERSONALITIES SHINE THROUGH IN DETAILS LIKE VIBRANT PAINT AND MOSAIC TILE.