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Innis Arden Major Renovation-All About the View
This custom-built residence was our client’s childhood home, holding sentimental memories for her. Today as a detail-oriented Dentist and her husband, a retired Sea Captain, they wanted to put their own stamp on the house, making it suitable for their own unique lifestyle.
The main objective of the design was to increase the Puget Sound views in every room possible. This
entailed some areas receiving major overhaul, such as the master suite, lesser updates to the kitchen and office, and a surprise remodel to the expansive wine cellar. All these were done while preserving the home’s 1970s-era quirkiness.
In the master bedroom suite, the entire layout was rearranged – tearing down and reclaiming space from the old closet located on the exterior wall blocking, the view of the Sound from the bedroom. Beams were brought in to keep architectural details and create the new structure.
The couple can now lay in bed and see water views in all directions. The
open-suite concept may not be appealing to everyone, but the clients love it! The home, nestled into a hillside, has privacy from surrounding houses. Wall-to-wall windows were installed in the bathroom – even flanking the tub and shower. The entire area is curbless and glass-free, other than a partial wall to protect the bedroom furniture from overspray.
- In the kitchen, the clients kept the original oak cabinetry, we simply updated the countertops, backsplash, plumbing fixtures, and appliances including a new combination gas and induction cooktop. To enhance the view from the kitchen table, a laundry closet was removed between the table and adjacent family room. A wall opening was created with a low counter for seating.
- The office was reconfigured removing a large sauna and annexing this space into a larger office for both to share. New windows and built-in cabinetry were added enhancing views and making grander workspaces.
- During construction, our client notified us of a water leak in their wine cellar (they thought had been caused by our work). After investigation, it was found to be ground-water intrusion. This space was a crawl-space – the prior builder had moved dirt to create it, without addressing the water level or drainage. The home’s post and beam construction, along with non-treated lumber was found buried in the un-removed dirt (this eventually could lead to a major failure). To remedy the dirt was excavated, a new concrete footing installed, and sump pump system and water sensors were installed to address future drainage. The expansive wine collection was saved, and no bottles were harmed during construction.
