Built for the house
that’s already there.

The homeowner wanted the 1929 Tudor to retain its period character so completely that the extensive work would not announce itself. The project became an almost complete interior reconstruction: the downstairs walls were rearranged, the upper floor system was rebuilt, and a dormer was added for the primary bedroom. The upper floor was reworked to make better use of the home’s existing footprint, creating two bedrooms, a new bathroom, and built-in storage.

The small footprint left little room for compromise. A new winder staircase had to satisfy modern code clearances while taking up as little usable floor area as possible. That same attention to space continued upstairs, where built-in drawers were fitted beneath the sloping roof and the second bedroom includes French doors opening onto a Juliet balcony.

Original details guided the new work. The heavy rounded plaster returns at the doors and windows were reproduced, along with coved ceilings, picture rails, and the wall texture appropriate to the house. Existing brass knobs and mortise locks were stripped, restored, and supplemented with matching salvaged hardware. Painted-shut double-hung windows were made operable again, the kitchen’s small plaster niche was preserved, and the front door’s original speakeasy became part of the new custom door.

The architecture by Ellen of Studio TJP gave the house an addition and interior plan that felt visually connected to the original building. The project went smoothly from having a strong, collaborative working relationship with the homeowner and architect, particularly when opening old walls revealed conditions that required the team to adjust the plan without losing its intent.

At some point in the house’s history, the original exterior had been covered with vinyl siding. Removing it also exposed a second layer of tired cedar lap siding, deteriorated trim, and earlier alterations that had cut into the original construction. Both siding layers and much of the compromised trim were removed so the exterior could be properly repaired and protected.

A new weather barrier was installed before the house was put back together with Hardie lap siding for durability and primed finger-jointed cedar for the trim. New front details were built to restore the depth and shadow lines associated with an older Seattle Craftsman rather than leaving the house with the flat appearance of a simple re-siding job.

Inside, the architect’s plans called for a new kitchen and shower. The kitchen had to accomplish a great deal within a tight footprint. Its design balances a calm, familiar Craftsman character with more individual elements developed through the homeowner’s and architect’s input, including a subtle connection to the work of the homeowner’s late husband, who had also been an architect.

My team and I performed the on-site demolition, framing, cabinet installation, and interior and exterior finish carpentry. We completed the work alongside trusted specialty contractors with whom I have established working relationships, allowing the exterior, kitchen, and shower work to move forward as one coordinated renovation.

The 1926 house had been neglected over the years and had the character of a modest older Seattle-area home rather than a formally defined architectural style. The aim was not to turn it into something modern or pretend it was a grand Craftsman. Instead, the design drew from the proportions and details of older Seattle Craftsman cottages while respecting what the house already was.

The exterior received new siding and trim, new windows and doors, and a new front deck with period-minded railings and stairs. Inside, the house was gutted and rebuilt with a new kitchen and bathroom, along with molding, doors, and trim profiles selected to feel appropriate to its age. The work extended outside as well, where years of neglected landscaping required substantial effort to make the setting feel connected to the renewed house.

The compact interior presented the same challenge found in many older homes: there was no excess space to absorb a poor decision. The kitchen, bathroom, storage, openings, and circulation were developed so every square inch served a purpose without making the rooms feel crowded.

I designed, developed, and built the project, including the exterior details. The result was a tired former rental transformed into a cohesive cottage. It is intended to retain its familiar character while serving for another hundred years.

The homeowner needed a quiet, comfortable place to work from home. At roughly 180 square feet, the building could also serve as a retreat for the family, a place for the children to spend time, or occasional overnight accommodation for a guest, while remaining primarily a professional workspace.

I developed a modern design around both the budget and the wooded, sloping site. Its placement was deliberate: cut into the slope, tucked among the trees, and aligned so the building feels like it belongs in that particular location rather than resembling a prefabricated structure set wherever space happened to be available.

The studio was constructed like a small house, with a concrete foundation, conventional framing, insulated walls, electrical service, and heating and cooling. The exterior combines HardiePlank siding with a standing-seam metal roof, providing a durable shell suited to the wooded setting.

Access was the practical challenge. The studio sits in the backyard where heavy machinery could not reach, so excavation, material handling, and construction had to be planned around limited access. The constraint shaped the process, but not the finished result.