This Hillside Seattle Home Will Make You Fall in Love with Nautical Design
It is inspired by its waterfront surroundings.
Kara Mercer
Built in 1925 as a modest beach cabin, this Seattle home has undergone many renovations throughout the years. The big transformation started in 2010 with a full rebuild by Paul Moon Design, which maintained the home’s original footprint, but completely reimagined the structure. In 2018, a third floor was added, which consists of an office, primary suite, and deck. Dyna Builders was brought on for this latest iteration.
Kara Mercer
Kara Mercer
“The clients had done a full remodel about 10 years earlier, converting an old cottage into a nice, cozy two-bedroom home, but the owners’ suite was tucked into the basement and didn’t take advantage of their beautiful view,” explains Gus Poole, Project Manager at Dyna Builders. “The property is on a steep bluff overlooking Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountain Range. The top story suite maximizes views and also improves the proportions of the home from the street view.”
Kara Mercer
The goal was to create a home for entertaining, while also taking advantage of the views. Poole says connection to the outdoors was a consistent theme. Additionally, the design and build team was tasked with reworking the guest suite to accommodate a family member who was wheelchair bound—ADA access and bathroom accessibility were also considerations.
Kara Mercer
“Working with Paul Moon Design, there was a lot of verbiage from the previous remodel that dictated the new work that we did,” Poole says. “They had a nautical/cozy aesthetic with a series of round windows and rustic beams incorporated with some really nice painted casework. The view was primary in most discussions, but focus on the wood burning fireplace and bar area added an interior warmth and focus.”
Kara Mercer
The main floor layout mostly stayed the same, but Dyna Builders added lots more detail, like the reclaimed box beams and custom paneling around the fireplace.
Kara Mercer
Kara Mercer
Paul Moon Design designed the kitchen while Dyna built the custom hood surround of blackened steel and brass. “The new leaded glass and two-tone paint really updates the existing kitchen cabinets,” Poole says. “Accordion doors and windows to the deck and new bar seating area connect the living area to the outside. We installed a custom outdoor kitchen with adjustable louvers to provide privacy from the neighbors while keeping the view out to the sound. The casework wrapped the whole floor, obscuring automatic shades and creating nooks for the bar area that built into the wrap around stairs.”
Kara Mercer
Kara Mercer
The focus of the project was the new story addition. The primary suite features a bathroom with full-tile wall, a custom freestanding tub, and porthole with a stunning view.
Off the bathroom is a west-facing gym/meditation room. There’s a bonus room that serves as a laundry, closet, and home office—it’s outfitted with custom cabinetry.
Kara Mercer
“The deck off of the bedroom has a convertible queen-sized bed open to the sound, perfect for the summer,” Poole says. “The doors on this level pocket into the walls, so when they’re open it’s full connection to the outside. Exterior shades provide sun protection and hidden interior blackout shades create a cozy environment. The bordered parquet flooring brings a neat aesthetic to the whole space.”
Kara Mercer
Kara Mercer
The home has been transformed from a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom space to a three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom house for entertaining and hosting. Its nautical design is elegant instead of kitschy boat decor, subtly playing off the waterfront location. Overall, the dreamy design is a relaxing retreat that feels connected to its beautiful surroundings.
Architecture: Paul Moon Design
Contractor: Dyna Builders, Ren Chandler
Interiors: Paul Moon Design, Melissa Blacker
Landscaping: Quercus Landscape Design
