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Seattle whole house remodel - Dormer Addition Seattle

dormer addition & whole house remodel

2012 REX Award winner


A classic Seattle view home with a classic problem: small spaces upstairs and a main floor with both red oak and fir flooring. The bath had been remodeled recently enough to desperately need another remodel to make it match the aesthetics of the home--that corner tub just had to go. And so it did as part of a dormer and main floor addition and a whole house remodel and refresh of all the finishes. Completed 2011. dormer addition seattle

Architect: Leo Smith of Leo Smith Architects

project features


  • A dormer addition that creates enough space for an expansive master bath and closet
  • A small main-floor addition that allows completion of a circular floor plan
  • 50-year roofing, new garage doors and epoxy flooring in garage
  • A newly landscaped back yard with brick pavers, cedar trellis and outdoor fireplace

project photos


Click on the thumbnails to read the story of this dormer addition & whole house remodel.
The centerpiece of the remodel is this spa-like bath. Accents of glass block at the shower and window, with frosted glass on the operating windows keeps this new master bath light and bright and private at the same time. The central skylight brings in additional glow to this serene space To create this new space meant removing the old bath, which was somewhat contemporary but not in the style or era of the original home We removed the bath, removed the roof and framed in a new dormer that extended a mere 100sf at the main level. But that extra square footage allowed a sea change in the spaces at both the upper and main floors At the main level, a floor plan that formerly dead-ended at a stairwell to the basement is now a circular floor plan, with a space gallery. The main floor bumpout allowed not only a hall connecting the kitchen and media room, but also a quaint and comfy bay, which doubles as an eating nook. The built-in cabinetry has a lifting bench seat for storage, and looks out on the newly landscaped backyard. And what a backyard it is. Twin cedar arbors define brick-lined patios that lead to a romantic outdoor fireplace. The warm colors of the cedar and brick compliment the deep brown newly painted home, with pops of color from the trees, bushes and plants surrounding it. Where the old bathroom stood is a spacious master closet, a toilet room, and a new shower with a ceiling-mounted and a hand-held shower head. Oversized hexagonal tile defines the room. The coup de foudre is the toilet room, which has a Toto toilet with washlet on one side, and a urinal on the other. Plumbing codes required extra capacity from the street to install a urinal in a residential setting. The custom vanity is built from quarter-sawn oak, with stain to match an antique table elsewhere in the home. The baskets below provide extra storage, while the doors and drawers conceal other toiletries. The 3cm calcutta gold marble counter and backsplash have rich veining, and the chrome fixtures shine on this traditional vanity top. And finally, the tub: a cast iron beauty with a chrome riser to fill it. The train rack to the left holds towels. It's hard not to imagine relaxing inside the spacious soaker. With a new master closet, this former closet space gets a new mission: reading nook. With a view of the city like this, it might be easy to get distracted, though. The stairs to the basement also get a remodel. Formerly described as treacherous, these expanded treads end up navigable and beautiful with some carpet installed. Aside from the main floor bumpout, the big wow of this project is the floors and newly painted millwork, walls and ceilings. The old mix-matched floors are replaced with a wider plank white oak stained a deep brown. Elegant and rock-solid with a new subfloor, the floor extend throughout the main level, only skipping the original powder bath and its vintage hex tile floors. Even the front deck over the garage gets a refresh. with a new paint job and furniture designed to take in the view. The old facade with hospital green paint and crumbling roofing is gone. In its place, substantial 50-year roofing, new garage doors, and a delicate trellis framed out the garage opening, and new landscaping brightens the whole picture. Before: the rear of the home. Oh, and keep an eye on the white door with the window at the top. You'll see it again. After: Hard to believe it's the same home... with added dormer space and a more functional main floor plan and doors. There's the exterior door again to the left. It was repurposed as an interior door to the kitchen pantry. A nod toward the old and a love of the new. It was the owner's goal for this project, and beautifully reached.


view additional projects:

additions & custom homes
kitchens & baths
basements & outdoor spaces
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