aka "the eventual house."

Perched above Lake Washington with Mt. Rainier in the distance, our house hunting clients discovered this site in the fall of 2008. They nicknamed the existing home the Ferrari house, after the bright red sports car parked in the garage. There wasn’t much to save at Ferrari given its low ceilings and worn construction. Yet, our clients saw the site's potential. And so, for several years, they saved and planned for the day construction could begin on "the eventual house."

Teh sits in a neighborhood of mid-century ranch houses. Doors are left open. Kids play in the street. Our clients wanted a home that connected to both the neighborhood's energy as well as the lot's expansive views. So, we lined the main floor with floor to ceiling windows and large sliding doors that stitch together the front and back yards.

The main floor is clad in black wood siding while the cantilevering upper floor is covered with white stucco. The two tone dichotomy was intended to emphasize the home’s horizontality and minimize its street-side scale. That dichotomy continues into the building interior, where the main floor's open spaces are grounded in darker finishes while the upper floor bedrooms are kept light. Clerestory windows, skylights and interior glass panels bring additional light into rooms where privacy is needed. The project has several energy efficient features including an electric vehicle charging station, solar panels, and radiant heating.

It is the result of a collaborative design and construction process with our clients that began with that first visit to Ferrari and ended with final landscaping touches.