A Charmless Craftsman Was Transformed Over 14 Years

12.07.2024 - 17:00 / sunset.com / Sarah Yang

Sure, renovations that seem to happen overnight can be awe-inspiring, but there’s something to be said about renovations that happen gradually. What you need in your home probably changes throughout the years—another kid, a WFH job, a grandparent that moves in… all of these things could shift your design priorities.

Rafael Soldi

For this home in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge neighborhood—dubbed “Bread & Butter”—renovations happened over the course of 14 years. It all started in 2009 when a young couple (both structural engineers) bought the house, which was an original Craftsman, but had been poorly updated with a lot of its charm removed.

Rafael Soldi

“After purchasing the home, our clients decided to take a collaborative approach to the renovation that could adjust to their lifestyle as they started a family,” explains Ian Butcher, AIA, Founding Partner of Best Practice Architecture. “Despite favoring contemporary design, they leaned into the idea of bringing back the original craftsman in a meaningful way.”

Rafael Soldi

There were three project phases, with the first phase starting shortly after the couple bought the house. This involved an entry porch remodel and a coat of gray and yellow paint.

Rafael Soldi

The next phase commenced in 2011, before the couple’s first child was born. It was a comprehensive update to the main floor—expanding and brightening the kitchen and adding a laundry room and full bathroom.

“Phases one and two targeted bringing back the original Craftsman charm but in an abstract form,” Ian says. “We balanced deliberately modified versions of traditional elements with highly contemporary interventions.”

Rafael Soldi

In 2020, the Best Practice team and the couple embarked on the final part of the renovation, which