Originally published August 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM | Page modified August 27, 2008 at 10:53 AM
Northwest Living
Differing tastes are accommodated in one 'progressive' home
So much more than design goes into creating a house. Residential architects are called upon to muster skills in construction management, interior design, perhaps a little green consulting and . . . marriage counseling.
BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
Nancy and Kevin Duffy's new Bernie Baker-designed home in West Seattle seems to float above its site, despite the visual weight of steeply peaked roofs and a copper-clad chimney. Both interior and exterior metalwork is by Steve Johnson of Paracelsus in Port Townsend.
BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
The kitchen and dining room are the heart of the house where the Duffys entertain family and friends. The staircase is a sculptural element central to both the design and navigation of the home. "When all the light pours in, the glass on the stairs and breakfast bar gleam blue like the Juneau glacier," enthuses Kevin Duffy, who moved back to Seattle after years in Alaska.
BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
The kitchen runs the width of the house, with a lighted metal pot rack, black honed-granite countertops and glass demi-lune breakfast bar. A rail-mounted library ladder slides back and forth to reach the kitchen's high cabinets. Several of the windows over the sink are frosted for privacy.
BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
The huge volume of space is warmed up with wooden floors, deep, cozy chairs and a fireplace clad in rusted steel panels that look soft as suede. The two-story-high bank of windows looks west to Puget Sound.
BENJAMIN BENSCHNEIDER / THE SEATTLE TIMES
The master bedroom has dormers, built-in storage and a little balcony off the back. Just outside the bedroom is a sitting room.
Modern meets classical
The Duffys' new home is as much a fusion of time periods as of architectural styles. Architect Bernie Baker's design is strong enough to integrate both owners' visions:
What's Modern: The home's most modern aspect is its open floor plan, with rooms flowing seamlessly into one another and a large central volume of space. The main fireplace rises two stories, and outside is clad in copper. The staircase features "floating" steps and a railing of metal, glass and wood. A metal-clad range hood, curved-glass breakfast bar and countertops of sleek black granite glam up the kitchen.
What's Not: On the exterior, the forms of chimney and dormers dominate. Inside, the kitchen has a library ladder on a rail and a hanging pot rack. Furniture was selected for comfort, and there are three fireplaces. The color palette is in earth tones of green, rust and cream, set off by burnished Brazilian tigerwood floors.
So much more than design goes into creating a house. Residential architects are called upon to muster skills in construction management, interior design, perhaps a little green consulting and . . . marriage counseling. How to mediate between a husband and wife with differing tastes, yet end up with a coherent design?
In the case of the Duffy house in West Seattle, architect Bernie Baker's challenge was to design the warm, traditional home of Nancy Duffy's dreams while satisfying her husband Kevin's enthusiasm for modern design.
Right off, Baker asked each Duffy to write him a letter detailing what they hoped for in their new house. "I wanted to see how in tune they were," says Baker, which turned out to be not very.
Nancy wanted an inviting, casual house with lots of windows. When Baker asked her to find photos of houses she admired, Nancy chose cottages with steep roofs. In contrast, Kevin is a self-described "contemporary fan" who praises all the metal touches Baker incorporated into the house. Both agreed that the kitchen was key, and that they needed a dining room sufficiently large for entertaining Kevin's family. He's one of eight children. "We often have 25 people here at a time," Nancy says.
So how did Baker pull it off? He listened closely to his clients, and came up with a dramatic, open-plan house rich in warm woods, copper and glass. The rooflines are steep enough to make any cottage-lover happy. The palette, chosen with help from interior designer Dixie Stark, perfectly suits Nancy's red hair and brown eyes.
Kevin bought the unprepossessing 1940s house 15 years ago, renting it out while he lived in Juneau, which is where he met Nancy.
When they moved back to Seattle, the couple lived in the little house for a year and a half. "The kitchen was like being in jail," says Nancy of the dark, cramped space. She discovered Baker when she saw a dining room he'd designed in "The Not So Big House" by Sarah Susanka. "I looked at that photo every day," says Nancy, who was taken with the room's floor-to-ceiling windows and elegant informality. When the couple called Baker, they were hoping to remodel. But the cracked and leaky foundation convinced Baker the house wasn't worth remodeling.
There's no regret now over their choice to take a leap, tear down the old house and start from scratch. But partway through the process, they got cold feet. Baker brought over the model he'd just completed, and seeing their new house in 3-D did it. "Nancy caved," says Kevin with a laugh. The project was back on.
The completed house is 2,400 square feet, although the configuration of space — more than half the house is great room — makes it live much larger. Built by Shane Bennett of Landmark Construction, there are custom touches throughout, and room for a vast trestle dining table that comfortably seats 14. At the back, across a courtyard, is a carriage house with garage on the ground level, guest suite on top.
So how does Baker describe the style he came up with to please dueling aesthetics? "I call my work progressive," he says. "It has a classical beginning, with respect for earlier architecture. Yet it's still a modern house; it's just not a box."
He pauses, "Well, it's a bit church-like. Maybe we should call it 'Bernie-Goth.' "
Valerie Easton is a Seattle freelance writer and author of "A Pattern Garden." Her e-mail address is valeaston@comcast.net. Benjamin Benschneider is a Pacific Northwest magazine staff photographer.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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