Capturing an Old Home’s Original Charm
Antique Dealer’s Dream
Expanding, reconfiguring, and updating an aging home to meet the needs of the person who first saw its potential.
This homeowner was looking for a place to settle down in with her son when she came across a nondescript older house with a large yard. An antique dealer and avid gardener, she quickly recognized this Bellevue home and its spacious yard as a diamond in the rough, waiting for the right person with the right vision to bring out its shine. After snatching it up, she came to us looking for options to improve livability and develop a whole new look that felt true to the home’s original era. To start, we examined the structure and found it sound. With the reassurance of good bones, we launched into designing a space that highlights the home’s innate and original charm with thoughtful updates and additions.
Classic Kitchen
Inset cabinet doors and custom details — like the small open shelves aligned with the beam above — give this kitchen the feel of a classic space, carefully crafted. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Classic Kitchen
Inset cabinet doors and custom details — like the small open shelves aligned with the beam above — give this kitchen the feel of a classic space, carefully crafted. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Exposed Joists
By leaving the joists exposed, the “ceiling” feels that much higher than it would have — a welcome benefit in a space with lower head height. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Exposed Joists
By leaving the joists exposed, the “ceiling” feels that much higher than it would have — a welcome benefit in a space with lower head height. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Inside and out, the home is transformed. The new classic kitchen overlooks the rear garden with large, bright windows to bring in natural light. A sunny bump-out in the kitchen also offers a cozy corner where kids can hang out and guests can sit and talk to the cook.
What was once a bedroom is now a formal foyer opening to the living room via a refined arched entry. In the living room, a shallow vault raises the ceiling for a grander feel, accentuating the room’s focal piece – a river rock fireplace surround. Beyond the living room, a new stair to the lower level was also carved out of the former bedroom for easy access to the previously unfinished lower level.
Where ceilings are low, exposed beams and decking allow for more visual height. The now-finished lower-level space is home to two new bedrooms, making the most of the home’s most significant addition – a new west wing. On the main floor, the addition also made possible a new primary suite.
The extra 16 linear feet provide much-needed space for a family room with a cozy window seat and access to the front porch. The gabled wood ceiling mirrors the warmth of the wood floor underfoot.
Adding Architectural Detail
What was once a bedroom is now a foyer to the living room space: the thickened wall with an arched entry between the two rooms adds a sense of presence to the cozy space. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Adding Architectural Detail
What was once a bedroom is now a foyer to the living room space: the thickened wall with an arched entry between the two rooms adds a sense of presence to the cozy space. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Antique Dealer’s Dream
Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
The homeowner’s curated collection of antique furniture, art, and accessories take center stage throughout the new spaces. With thoughtful updates, this once drab home now shines as a testament to the owner’s keen eye and vision for what could be.
Front Porch
Anchored by the massive river rock fireplace, the front porch is accessible not only from the front entry, but also from the family room. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Front Porch
Anchored by the massive river rock fireplace, the front porch is accessible not only from the front entry, but also from the family room. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Garden Patio
Large casement windows not only let in plenty of light and fresh air, but the offer a view of the garden patio, a delight for the green-thumbed homeowner. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Garden Patio
Large casement windows not only let in plenty of light and fresh air, but the offer a view of the garden patio, a delight for the green-thumbed homeowner. Antique Dealer’s Dream | Photo by Ed Sozhino.
Notes & Credits
Photography by Ed Sozhino.
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Our design services encompass architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture, with teams specializing in projects across the spectrum, from single-family homes to multifamily and mixed-use buildings, and from boutique commercial spaces to civic spaces, like parks. We love designing the integrated fabric of structures, spaces, and places that create vibrant neighborhoods.
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