Step into a stunning Seattle bungalow designed for the ultimate live work lifestyle

Exterior street view of the Madison Park Bungalow with weathered cedar siding and native plantings

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This elegant home in Seattle, Washington, was designed by Drew Shawver Architecture + Design. The 1,625-square-foot house showcases nature via natural light and visual/physical connections to the gardens.

The clients are a young couple, a product designer from Lebanon, and a graphic designer from Bainbridge Island. They sought a home that would reflect their desire for a bright, modern living space while maintaining a meaningful and respectful connection to the scale and character of Madison Park.

The home’s spaces needed to be compact and multifunctional to accommodate their work-from-home lifestyle, provide space for them to work and live with their two dogs, allow for adaptation to extended visits by family from near and far, and accommodate potential children in the future.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECTURE Drew Shawver Architecture + Design
CONSTRUCTION Treebird Construction
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Supernature

Front facade of the Madison Park Bungalow set among neighboring homes with autumn foliage

Their design background made them natural collaborators at every level of the process. From the overall concept to the finishes and details, along with the design and fabrication of some of the furniture, the home reflects their personalities, their love of intimate spaces, and their longing for a meaningful connection to their neighborhood and natural environment.

Cedar-clad bungalow with modern front porch and lush native grass garden

The bungalow answers each of those desires with quiet intention. Conceived as a serene, light-filled retreat within the city — modern in spirit yet deeply respectful of its traditional neighborhood context and the original home that it replaced — re-use of the existing foundation helped reduce costs while also enabling a wider footprint than zoning regulations would otherwise permit, creating a connection between the new home and its predecessor.

Close-up of the front porch entry with tall ornamental grasses and vertical cedar siding

The design sought to balance the clients’ desire for a modern, open, and light-filled home with a sense of local belonging in its neighborhood context.

Side view of the covered front porch with custom wood chairs and native garden plantings

The exterior expression and materiality pay homage to the Pacific Northwest’s timber craft and building vernacular, with a simple gabled form clad in locally harvested Port Orford cedar siding, left to weather naturally over time. The front porch, while modern in form, allows for the traditional connection between the home and an active pedestrian street.

Mudroom entry with dark cabinetry, wood bench, and sheer curtains leading to the back garden

The interior spaces are designed around a series of narrow perimeter skylights that capture the region’s shifting light and atmosphere while providing privacy from closely spaced neighboring homes on either side. The bright, light-washed walls are contrasted by dark-stained wooden cabinetry, echoing the sense of craft and tactility of the exterior.

Detail of handcrafted wood bench with leather boots on terracotta tile floor

What We Love About This Home

The perimeter skylight system floods the interior with the Pacific Northwest’s ever-changing light while maintaining privacy from neighboring homes. Every material choice, from the weathering Port Orford cedar siding to the dark-stained cabinetry, feels intentional and cohesive, creating a seamless connection between the home’s exterior and interior spaces. Most impressive is how much this home accomplishes within just 1,625 square feet. The design feels both compact and spacious, contemporary and deeply connected to its neighborhood.

Tell Us: What is your favorite detail in this bungalow? The dramatic stairwell skylight, the steel-lined cabinetry niches, or the native garden landscape? Let us know in the Comments below!

Note: Check out a couple of other fascinating home tours that we have highlighted here on One Kindesign in the state of Washington: Dreams meet design in this brilliant minimalist forever home in Seattle and Step inside this luminous modern home with treehouse vibes in Seattle.

Open living and dining area with dark cabinetry wall, paper pendant light, and perimeter skylight

Dining area with green rush-seat chairs, wood table, and open stair above

Dining nook with green chairs, wood table, exposed dark beams, and a rubber plant

Dining table with green chairs beneath a paper pendant light and exposed ceiling beams

Living room with minimalist fireplace, built-in window seat, and custom wood furniture

Light-filled living room with leather sofa, fireplace, and floor-to-ceiling sheer curtains

Kitchen with dark wood island, open shelving, white range hood, and perimeter skylight

Dark stained oak cabinetry wall with brushed metal niche and kitchen island detail

Full-height dark cabinetry wall with metal niche and sheer curtain at corridor end

Kitchen with dark stained oak cabinetry, steel-lined open shelving niche, and black stone countertops

Detail of steel-lined built-in shelving niche with books and ceramics in dark wood wall

Perimeter skylight above kitchen transition space with exposed beams and wood stool

Transition corridor with perimeter skylight, exposed beams, and view into the living room

Narrow stairwell with dramatic perimeter skylight casting a column of natural light

Wood staircase with metal handrail leading to an intimate built-in window seat

Dark wood upper hallway with built-in bench niche and view into the bedroom

Home office with sheer curtains, paper table lamp, and iMac on a minimal desk

Primary bedroom with floor-to-ceiling dark wood wardrobe and globe pendant light Primary

Primary bathroom with concrete soaking tub, dark vanity, oval mirror, and perimeter skylight

Minimalist shower with perimeter skylight, rain showerhead, and plaster walls

Bedroom corner with dark wood wardrobe, tall ladder-back chair, and small framed artwork

Compact powder room with wall-mount sink, mirror cabinet, and ceramic pendant light

Shower with linen curtain, terracotta tile floor, and skylight above

Night view through open sliding doors into the warm, lit living and dining area

Rear exterior at dusk with cedar siding, open sliding doors, and glowing interior

Aerial view of the Madison Park neighborhood along Lake Washington in Seattle

Landscape Vignettes

Native grasses and ornamental plantings against the bungalow's rear deck and glazing

The landscape is composed of primarily native and low-maintenance plantings that further connects the home to its place through sunny natural gardens.

Front entry path through native garden plantings with cedar siding and covered porch

Concrete stepping stone path through gravel and native grasses in the front garden

Close-up of gravel garden path edged with low-maintenance native grass plantings

Rear garden with gravel, native plantings, and wood deck with custom outdoor chairs

Backyard gravel garden with wood picnic table, fire bowl, and young pine trees

View from the covered front porch through native grasses toward the Madison Park street

Side passage along the cedar-clad exterior with bicycle and gravel path to the backyard

Front garden with concrete stepping stones, gravel, and native ornamental grasses in autumn

Two dogs resting under an outdoor wood dining table in the backyard gravel garden

Historic Images

Historic black and white photograph of the original bungalow

Historic black and white street view of the original bungalow

Floor Plans

Site map showing the bungalow's location in the Madison Park neighborhood near Lake Washington

Architectural main floor plan showing porch, entry, bed/office, kitchen, living, dining, and rear deck

Architectural upper floor plan showing two bedrooms, bathroom, and perimeter skylight zone

Building section drawing showing the stair, skylight, and relationship to neighboring homes

PHOTOGRAPHER Kevin Scott