“Washington designer Jessica Nelson believes that after a long day, ‘walking into your home should feel like a big hug.’” And that’s exactly what she delivered in this modern home in Northeast Seattle, thanks to ambient lighting, warm woods, and plenty of earth toned textures. 

“The family who lives in this home is so sweet,” she shares. “They have two little boys, three and one, so they needed to update their home to be functional for their growing family.” The home’s original layout was fragmented and disjointed, so Jessica set to work on thoughtful space planning, ensuring the stunning views of Lake Washington and the University of Washington were fully showcased. “By swapping the locations of the kitchen and dining room, we were able to capitalize on the beautiful views and create a space for their family to spend the majority of their time in,” she explains. “We were able to expand and reorient the kitchen and dining space, as well as lighten up the home overall as it was dark and heavy with lots of cherry wood and ‘90s finishes.” 

Every room in the house also received the Jessica Nelson Design touch The entryway boasts custom cabinetry by Construct Remodel, featuring hand-cut drawer pulls, and Pinky’s Iron Doors provide a stylish visual separation between the foyer and the living space. The living room features custom shelving, with a concrete-cast mantel by Stone Mountain Casting. 

It wasn’t a quick and easy process. “This home had a significant amount of rot we had to address,” Jessica admits. “The southwest corner of the home had a hot tub that was installed in the 1970s right on that corner. This resulted in a significant amount of rot in the structural corner of the home. We had to completely rebuild that corner of the home which compromised our budget quite a bit. We had to value engineer to make the budget workable for them as a result!”

From the first meeting to completion, the project spanned about two years. “The clients are so thrilled with the transformation of their home,” Jessica shares.

See more in the slideshow.