Lovingly referred to as Brubeck, this Laurelhurst Colonial Revival renovation was as fun, complex, and unexpected as a jazz trio improvising over a familiar big-band standard. Blending traditional and modern design and letting the original and remodeled areas of home co-exist were the notes written on the page…getting it all to come together was the jazz. With a passion for spending time cooking and entertaining as a family, a fresh and open kitchen design for our clients is where the collaboration began.

The first challenge in merging the home’s traditional spaces with a new modern kitchen was to reconsider the flow through the main floor. Tuning into the lack of connectivity between the main social areas of the home, our team created a new opening between the kitchen and formal living room, nesting a wet bar and beverage fridge in this transitional area; a great way to keep guests happy without needing to overwhelm the host. Even the family pup received a little extra design consideration, adding a concealed food and water dish in the bar’s toe-kick!

In the kitchen area itself our design team revitalized the dark and worn space with a new floor plan, bold color, and modern features such as a large central island, built-in appliances, and tons of clever storage. The cabinets are skinned in calming shades of blue and dotted with hand painted Italian tile, inspired by colors from a handmade oven mitt gifted by the clients’ daughter.

Wanting to engage the timeless character of the home, our design team added new French doors to the patio from the den, paying special attention to matching the leaded glass grid and hardware of their existing living room doors. New oak flooring in place of the drab, dated linoleum weaves through the kitchen, creating a continuously warm feel throughout the home.

When faced with the reality of needing to waterproof their existing foundation walls, our clients decided to reimagine the basement space in a secondary phase. The remodeled lower level resulted in a new drop zone with custom coat and shoe storage, stained concrete floors, a fully built-in laundry area, craft space, and a cozy home office/listening space designed for concentration or to just “Take 5”.

Axiom’s team relished every minute of this collaboration, from design through construction. And for our clients their remodeled home provides cohesive and beautiful spaces to congregate and celebrate their passion for music, cooking, entertaining, and spending quality time together as a family.

This recent Queen Anne remodel was all about a leap of faith in space planning. The original main floor’s layout flowed sensibly along the main axis of the home. Living to dining to kitchen; it plodded along. A little shake up was in order!

Moving the kitchen to the center of the home’s main corridor allowed for a more dynamic flow between spaces, creating a hub that could service both living and dining areas. A casual dining room adjacent to a coffee bar and pantry creates a natural space for both taking in the morning light and prepping for game night. And the large kitchen island with seating brings a more social vibe for entertaining guests and supporting daily family cooking adventures.

The goal for the upper floor was to create a cozy and elegant primary bedroom and ensuite bathroom. Building within the footprint of the existing roofline, without creating dormers was a welcome challenge for our design team. When remodeling older homes many building codes collide with design preferences. The low ceilings required some creative pivots to meet the needs of the client and satisfy inspectors.

In addition to the major floor plan modifications Axiom’s team brought a fresh look to the home with updated floors, millwork, and paint.  The end result is a bright and welcoming space full of warmth and charm. Easy for a growing family to stay comfortable in for many years to come.

The colorful character and charm of this historic Queen Anne foursquare served as a great source of design inspiration when remodeling the home’s kitchen and second floor.

Mossy green casework, vibrant blue tiles, and refinishing of the home’s original checkerboard painted wood floor exemplify the client’s love of color and family traditions that helped define some bold design decisions throughout the home.  A new kitchen layout helped provide better workflow and collaboration space for a family that loves cooking together. Durable quartz countertops, a large island with a natural butcherblock top and prep sink, professional appliances, and plenty of convenient storage solutions support the family’s culinary adventures.

The addition of new corner windows helped illuminate the previously dim kitchen, and an expanded arched opening to the dining room improved the circulation from the kitchen to the rest of the main floor.

The second floor remodel focused on providing a more efficient and functional layout for the growing family. A single small bathroom, originally shared by the whole family, was divided into an primary bedroom ensuite and secondary bathroom. Colorful tiles and large windows were added to brighten early morning routines, and create a little extra privacy for everyone. Resizing the spacious bedrooms allowed for expanding closet space as well as adding creative built-in storage solutions to help keep clutter at bay.

This remodel project was love at first sight! During the first meeting with our clients at their charming mid-century home, our design team could sense a fun collaboration ahead. Nestled atop a wooded ravine in Magnolia, the low slung structure spoke in quiet tones but cried out for some major improvements. Maintaining the inherent mid-century spirit of the structure was a guideline for design choices during the project. As a result,the refreshed spaces feel modern and still connected to the home’s original architectural intent.

To solve for the dark, heavily shaded surroundings, our design team focused on bringing in more natural light. Opening up the floor plan, and adding larger windows and doors created an airy feel and improved indoor/outdoor connection. A large multi-slide window above the sink, with an extended counter on the outside and stool seating, heightens the effect. The new kitchen layout expanded the visibility between spaces, added clever storage and a beautiful range of textures and tones.

A simple magnolia war box takes on a new second story addition and a radical turn toward modernity. Form, color and texture make a bold statement in the quiet neighborhood, celebrating the whimsical and dynamic sides of architecture.

Axiom’s design team, in collaboration with the client, took advantage of the home’s existing main floor and added a few modifications. The combination of varying interior elevations, a circular floor plan, and low ceilings presented an interesting challenge. But ingenuity and clever design prevailed. With breathtaking views of the Olympics and downtown skyline from its rooftop deck, the new second story addition also created more space for the homeowners’ growing family.

A sun filled living room with vaulted ceilings and a tidy modern kitchen take on the brunt of daily activity. While a cozy master suite and lounge occupy the new second story, creating a much needed refuge for busy parents. Accessible from the upper floor is an exterior stair leading to the rooftop deck. Screened in horizontal cedar slats, it cuts a striking angle across the upper facade.

This 1916 craftsman home is situated along the beautiful Lake Washington Arboretum, but suffered from a choppy and segmented layout with a disconnected addition. Axiom developed a new floorplan that opened up the closed-off areas of the home, repurposing spaces for uses more suited to this young family’s lifestyle. The kitchen was situated in the heart of the home, where it could act as a hub for their busy days. The front half of the home became a perfect area for entertaining guests, while the rear of the home opened up family spaces to the greenbelt beyond their backyard. Accents in marble and brushed gold helped bring a modern touch to this classic home.

This mid-century original had a lot of vintage charm without the functional amenities of our modern world.  Axiom went to work to open-up the compartmentalized spaces, and give the home a light-filled, view-oriented interior remodel.  A small addition in the front gave the rambler a sense of entry, as well as a generous laundry room off the kitchen, and enough space to rebuild an open stair to the basement.  The icing on the cake is the sleek site-built concrete retaining wall to replace tired, failing rockery, and to give the landscaping a contemporary vibe.

A major transformation of this Queen Anne home began with the homeowners insisting on keeping the Boo Radley view home rather than tear it down. The house had a lot of issues at the beginning, from wiring and structural rot to a pest control problem. Axiom went to work designing and building a complete renovation. The project scope included a new foundation for the basement, a whole-house lift, and a major addition to the back. The result is a beautiful and timeless Queen Anne classic with updates, plenty of space, and a functional kitchen that acts as the hub of the home.