After a top-to-bottom remodel, interior designer Alexandria Childs’ favorite detail in this Shoreline home is one that she says many people might not notice at first glance. It’s the floor in the primary bathroom, covered in a Star & Cross tile with tonal grout, which leaves a subtle impression of the pattern rather than immediately drawing the eye. “It adds that little bit of texture that the space really wants,” says Childs. “Without it, the room would be missing something, but I don’t know that you’d be able to put your finger on exactly what that missing thing is.”
Such is just one of the ways that Childs, co-founder of White Space Design Group, created depth and balance in the soothing scheme sought after by homeowner Katy Newton at the beginning of the design process. “Seattle’s such a dark place in the winter, so I wanted everything to be airy, light and bright, and clean,” says Katy. “Alex listened, and then was able to take what I wanted and run with it.”
Katy and her husband Kyle bought the house in 2019. Originally built in 1947, it had since seen a 90s remodel that changed the finishes without addressing the compartmentalized floorplan. “It has these expansive views to the Puget Sound, but the spaces still felt pretty enclosed and small,” says Childs. Katy and Kyle hired a local architect and their good friend and builder Andy Niskanen of Cascadia Building Company to completely reconfigure both floors, enlarge the kitchen, create multiple access points to the rear deck, and of course, make it so those incredible views could be appreciated from every room. “You can see orcas swimming by from the kitchen sink,” says Niskanen. “The view is about as fine as you get in western Washington.”
Childs then stepped in to finesse the finishes, layering in a spectrum of neutral colors and natural textures that would ultimately fulfill the goal to make the home “visually calming.” The color palette was inspired by a beautiful slab of Calacatta gold marble, used on the vanity counter in the primary bathroom, and in tile form in the shower. “It really set the tone for the rest of the finishes, even in the rooms without marble,” says Childs.
Those creams and taupes are repeated in the main living spaces, from the kitchen’s off-white cabinetry from Stile & Rail Design Studio, to the ceramic subway tile from Bedrosians Tile & Stone that covers the backsplash. Judicious black accents, such as the vintage dining chairs and Rejuvenation sconces, offer just enough contrast, while natural materials, like the oversized dining room chandelier made of fiber, add another layer of interest. “That light fixture really had to thread a needle because it needed to be large enough that it was in scale, while also not being too visually heavy and detract from the view,” says Childs.
Wood pieces, such as the dining bench, fireplace mantle, and a bath tray, all handmade by Kyle, finish the home into the couple’s personalized retreat. “It’s my sanctuary,” says Katy. “I don’t want to leave because I just love to be here.”
PROJECT SOURCES
CONTRACTOR
Cascadia Building Company
cascadiabuilding.com
ARCHITECT
Stannard Architects, LLC
stannardarchitects.com
INTERIOR DESIGN
White Space Design Group
wsdesigngroup.com
PAINT
Benjamin Moore
benjaminmoore.com
