DeForest Architects together with NB Design Group has designed this contemporary waterfront house nestled on the shores of Union Bay in Seattle, Washington. Three generations reside under one roof — the parents, their three children, along with one of the parent’s mothers. The original abode was a cherished childhood home of one of the homeowners. Over the years, various additions had been made, but they failed to fully capitalize on the stunning waterfront views. Facing a tough decision, the homeowners opted for a fresh start in order to optimize the views and meet their lifestyle needs.

Throughout the project, the architects took great care to preserve the property’s special trees and a teahouse positioned at the far end of the dock. The result is a brand-new layout that combines practicality for family life with an elegant oasis of space and natural light. In total, this two-story dwelling encompasses 6,000 square feet of living space, boasting five bedrooms, five full bathrooms, and two half bathrooms.

Above: A pivoting front door is composed of Cor-Ten steel, as is some of the exterior cladding. The wood siding is stained cedar.

DESIGN DETAILS: ARCHITECT DeForest Architects CONSTRUCTION Lockhart Suver Construction INTERIOR DESIGN NB Design Group STRUCTURAL ENGINEER Evergreen Design Company LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Allworth Design

One wing of the house embraces togetherness in the form of a spacious kitchen, family room, and breakfast bay overlooking the water. Utilitarian spaces such as the laundry room face the street. The other wing is all about retreat—a cozy den, luxurious master bath, and tranquil master bedroom. Between these two volumes is a series of lofty open spaces for indoor and outdoor entertaining. On the second level are the bedrooms and bathrooms for the kids and their grandmother.

What We Love: This impressive waterfront house in Seattle is spacious, open, light, elegant, and still warm and cozy. The indoor-outdoor connection is superb, with magnificent views of the lake. Overall we love how this home integrates so beautifully into its natural surroundings. The project team has done a fantastic job of creating an attractive aesthetic from exterior to interior and accommodating the lifestyle needs of its multigenerational inhabitants.

Tell Us: Please share your thoughts on what you like and do not like about the design of this Seattle waterfront house in the Comments below!

Note: Have a look at a couple of other popular Seattle home tours that we have featured here on One Kindesign: A 1910 Colonial Revival style house gets a stunning makeover in Seattle and Home Tour: A 1930s historic home in Seattle gets a modern makeover.

Above: The project team selected a carefully edited materials palette, connecting the house to the landscape. The flooring is a custom stained rift cut white oak. The light fixture above the dining table is the Branching Bubble Chandelier by Lindsey Adelman. Further creating an indoor-outdoor connection, lift-slide doors open and pocket into the walls. From this perspective, you can see the dock and the teahouse, which holds many special memories for the homeowner.

Above: Expansive brushed acrylic sliding panels delineates the master bedroom suite from the great room to allow for privacy without blocking out natural light.

Above: The staircase features tapered steel stringers and cantilevered translucent acrylic panels.

Above: The kitchen cabinets are custom-stained rift cut white oak, while the countertops and backsplash are a quartz composite by Pental. 

Above: A brushed acrylic sliding panel separates the kitchen and great room.

Above: The wall sconce in the powder bathroom is “Trapeze 2” from Apparatus Studio.

Above: The floors are rift-cut and quartered white oak while the accent wall behind the bed is teak. 

Above: The master bedroom overlooks a small private terrace and beyond to the lake.

Above: From this perspective, you can see the white marble shower. A slatted wood screen outside lends privacy to the master bathroom from the adjacent property. There is also a recessed roller blind at the top of the window to provide additional privacy and shade.

Above: The freestanding tub is from MTI Bath. Overhead, the light fixture is the Moooi Raimond. Behind the tub is an accent wall of teak paneling. The flooring is Deco-Pour, a half-inch-thick topping similar to terrazzo. A wall of glass frames views of the lake and helps bathe the space with natural light.

Photos: Benjamin Benschneider Photography