The 1926 Tudor Revival home sits in West Seattle near popular Alki Beach. “Because West Seattle is nearly surrounded by water it tends to feel quieter and laid back compared to other Seattle districts, and it really embodies a small beach town vibe while also having the conveniences of a big city,” says interior designer Kristina Ciccu. “It’s the perfect area for people who appreciate the outdoors, while remaining close to downtown.”
She was tasked with updating several key spaces in the home for a couple and their beloved German Shepherd mix, Goose. “They really needed a more functional kitchen where they could cook together and entertain, and one of the main goals was to have a better flow from the kitchen to the dining room,” she tells us. “They also needed a more functional way to enter and exit the home — a convenient spot to set down groceries, dry off Goose after daily walks, and generally serve as a small mudroom-style space, since the 1926 house lacked those modern-day conveniences.”
The kitchen had been remodeled in the 1990s with dark wood and busy granite countertops. “Not only did it feel dark and dated, it also didn’t at all respect the integrity of the original architecture,” the designer says. “One of the homeowner’s top requests was to reuse the leaded glass panels that were in a dining room built-in that had to be removed for floor plan efficiency.”
As you enter the home, you’re greeted by the living room and a view through the original archway into the dining room. “The dining room now features a second archway into the kitchen, proportions and design consistent with the original arched opening,” the designer explains. “The historic leaded glass mahogany windows in the dining room remained untouched, preserving the character of the room.” For dinner parties, guests can gather around an oval, walnut Rejuvenation table.
In the kitchen, a peninsula at the arched opening allows for quick meals and adds modern convenience for the homeowners while maintaining prep and cook space. “The kitchen itself is a marriage of many materials, colors and details, but the primary anchor is the rectangular checked tile floor,” Kristina shares. “This was a happy accident! We had originally specified the same tile in a square check, but one of the colors was out of stock. We discussed many alternatives but decided to pivot to the rectangular shape, and it really ended up being the right choice.”
The cabinets are painted in two complementary hues: Endless Sea and Rookwood Blue, both by Sherwin-Williams. A Bertazzoni range looks traditional enough to blend into the historic aesthetic, while a Bosch refrigerator hides away behind a custom paneled door. “One of the homeowners’ favorite features is the leaded glass doors on either side of the hood, salvaged from the original dining room,” Kristina shares. The countertops are Taj Mahal quartzite.
For the petite powder room, Cole & Son wallpaper brings together the green and blue color palette. “It’s a symphony of color and materials all nodding to the Tudor Revival era, together creating a little jewel box in the home,” Kristina says. “The wall hung sink and toilet were necessary in the small space and really help make the tiny room feel larger.”
She admits the biggest challenge with the remodel was incorporating modern conveniences and materials into a historic home. “With careful attention to layered details and materials, as well as original architectural details, we were able to blend the new spaces seamlessly with the existing home,” she says. The refreshed spaces honor nearly a century of history while embracing the ease and comfort of modern living.
