There's room for everyone in this den that does it all

BELLEVUE — When Kathleen Everist and her husband, Jim, first discussed adding a room above their garage, they originally thought it would become a playroom for their 10-year-old son Greysen.

But the more they thought about it — aided by a walk on the roof that revealed views of water and mountains not visible from the rest of the house — the more they realized they wanted a more comprehensive space for entertaining, relaxing and playing.

Their home already was well-suited for entertaining, with a family room adjacent to the kitchen downstairs and a formal dining and living room.

But the addition offered the chance for another casual space that is tucked away, yet comfortable enough to entertain in.

"It's become a home away from home," said Kathleen Everist, 49.

Multipurpose space

The Everists came up with a spacious, 1,000-square-foot addition that accommodates a seating area facing a fireplace and built-in dark cabinets that hide a huge plasma screen. There also is room for a kitchenette with its own mini-bar, and a game table.

Since the addition was finished in December, the Everists can be found relaxing there in the evenings, surfing the Web or watching television.

Sometimes they eat dinner there, and Kathleen likes to sit at an altar table facing the view of the Cascades in the morning to drink her coffee.

Once the room was completed and decorated, they celebrated by hosting 40 people in the new space.

The room will grow even more useful as Greysen grows older.

With the master bedroom on the first floor, Greysen and his friends can hang out upstairs without disturbing his parents. The downstairs family room is next to his parents' bedroom.

"It's a big space for three people, but when you entertain a lot, you have to be functional," she said.

Kathleen and Jim were practical about design, adding a dishwasher, microwave and small refrigerator to the kitchenette/mini-bar area. Wall cabinets hold books and artwork.

Kathleen chose multipurpose décor, such as the game table with a top that flips over to become a dining table, and a large Asian screen hides a subwoofer in the corner.

Meaning in mind

A fireplace with streaked black and brown granite that matches the kitchenette's counters gives the room a cozy feel, and Kathleen decorated it with an eye toward the personal.

Kathleen and Jim's fathers were "kind of cowboys," and on one side of the room, a pair of her father's cowboy boots leans against the wall near a bronze cowboy sculpture.

"I love things around me that have meaning," she said.

She continued the Western sensibility with pieces such as antlers scattered around the room, a rustic-looking red oak floor and a black leather sectional.

She combined that look with Asian pieces that blend with the rest of the house's décor, such as the altar table with barstool seating and a Mongolian armoire.

The family uses the space regularly for themselves, but sharing the space is important to Kathleen, who recently started a design business.

"The biggest compliment I get is [guests] just don't want to leave," she said. "They feel a nice sense of peace and relaxation."

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com