Finishes were improved starting at the entry, with a complete rebuild of the stairs and railings.
The previous design had paint grade railings and carpeted stairs that weren't to code.
Now steel stringer railings with fir caps grace the stairs, and knotty oak treads lead the way upstairs. At the top left side of the stairs, a planned wall was removed mid-project to allow for a wall to display family photos.
The kitchen had been outfitted with plain white cabinets and was dominated visually by a fireplace/cooking area that was going unused.
The revised kitchen deletes that cooking area, and has custom horizontal grain fir cabinets and concrete countertops. The fir continues in a cap at the half wall that divides the kitchen from the living room.
The refrigerator wall continues into a small peninsula and eating area with a microwave tucked into the corner.
Etched glass tile by Ann Sachs at the backsplash glows beneath the under-cabinet lighting.
The open concept layout has the kitchen extending south to a desk area with the same fir cabinets and a VG fir desktop. The backsplash here is blackened steel and functions as a magnet board as well.
The wall divider here is topped with a live edge fir slab that doubles as seating on the dining room side.
The fir slab was planed, sanded and had bark removed before being cut to fit and clear-coated. The fir came from Vashon Island, just across the sound from this home.
Before, the living room had a big rock fireplace surround in one corner.
That fireplace was removed entirely, and replaced with a new gas fireplace, completed with a concrete hearth and mantle, and a surround in a mix of concrete and blackened steel.
At the top of the new stairs is a small linen cabinet and counter tucked into the hallway.
The new master bathroom has the same fir cabinets as downstairs, and limestone countertops. The pocket door with obscured glass allows light into the hallway outside.
The shower is spacious, and the glass surround designed to obscure the view of the toilet when entering the room.
The large niche has plenty of room for shampoo and soap, with limestone shelves dividing the space. A small niche at the very bottom makes shaving legs easy.
The floor tile is the same limestone as the counter slab'Lagos Blue--and the tile for the shower floor is an etched Ann Sacks penny tile in a medium grey tone. The stone floors have an electric heat mat below to keep them toasty.
The finished home is beautiful on approach to the front door, with consistent trim and siding, and new paint throughout.
Before, the small dormers allowed for a tiny, awkward rooms and a hard-to-access roof deck.
On the West side, the new Loewen fir clad windows allow expansive views of the water and the Olympic Peninsula from both the master suite and the main floor.