When the clients of this Seattle home first saw a design proposal with a clear space in the middle of the plan for a tree to grow, they were thrilled. While some clients might have been deterred by the bold unorthodox design, this was exactly what the homeowners desired for their new home, which they envisioned as framing their next chapter in life. Longtime residents of the Queen Anne neighborhood, the owners have four children but were planning for life after at-home parenting and saw an opportunity to build a house that was both a reflection of their personality, and a thoughtfully designed space for the years ahead. Reaching out to us several years before their final child left home, the couple wanted to move slowly through the design process, giving them ample opportunity to explore different design options and various ways of engaging with the sloped site. So began their journey to create a home that embraced openness, creativity, and delight—a place that felt entirely their own, while remaining deeply connected to the neighborhood they loved.
The site, a property on the south slope of Queen Anne, was chosen for its potential to offer both privacy and expansive views. The elevated position provided sightlines to the city, Elliott Bay, and critically for the homeowners, Mount Rainier. To capitalize on this, the home's primary living spaces are located on the top floor of the three-level home, shifting the typical orientation to prioritize the experience of arrival and progression through the house. In contrast to the perched vistas found on the upper floors, the garden level of the home frames a more private experience, with stepped terraces offering sitting areas and a swim spa framed by raised garden beds.
A key aspect of the design is the central void in the middle of the plan, which is open to the sky and through which a tulip tree will grow over time. Not only does this element bring nature into the heart of the home, but it also serves as a focal point that changes with the seasons. Alongside this verticality framing the sky, the void complements the horizontal entry sequence adjacent to the front door. Rather than immediately confronting the city and water view, the entry courtyard is designed to build a sense of anticipation, moving visitors through a series of layered spaces before reaching the full panorama.
Designed to reveal itself slowly as one moves through interior and exterior spaces, the home offers many moments of surprise and delight. One is the corten steel spiral staircase at the back of the house, which winds down to the backyard, offering both a sculptural quality and an unexpected way to navigate between levels. Throughout, the home embraces contrast, as it is structured yet playful, rooted in natural materials yet punctuated by unexpected moments of color and texture that reveal the homeowners' personality and love of color. The program includes spaces scaled for daily life, with additional flexibility to accomodate family gatherings. The primary suite is on the lower level along with a gym that opens to the backyard, while the remaining bedrooms and two home offices are on the second level. Most importantly the home needed to be a place of lasting quality, where the homeowners could age in place without sacrificing livability or design ambition.
Materiality was approached with a balance of rigor and joy. The exterior siding is a mix of vertical Western red cedar with a dark, shou shugi ban charred finish, and horizontal members of the same wood in a light stain, creating a subtle yet striking contrast. Corten steel panels, including those used for the spiral staircase, introduce a weathered, sculptural qulality to the design. Inside, fir paneling and cabinetry add warmth, while fir ceilings unify the interior spaces. The palette is rich in texture and depth—handmade tile in brick red and watery blue, veined natural stone counters in the kitchen, and bold wallcoverings throughout. The homeowners' love of color is woven into the architecture itself rather than applied as a surface treatment, reinforcing the home's sense of permanence. These elements, alongside carefully framed views and moments of discovery, create a home that is both personal and enduring—a place designed not just for living, but for evolving over time.
