Design house: Take a peek at this Seattle new build that combines classic features within a contemporary space

This Seattle new-build was designed with family, nature and luxurious textures in mind, a sympathetically thought-out property developed on a plot of land in Seattle. 

The homeowners, after returning back to US from their two-year assignment in Hong Kong, purchased property on Mercer Island with the goal to make it their permanent residence. 

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Tammara Stroud Design was selected to work collaboratively with McCullough Architects and JayMarc Construction to create a Northwest modern home – one that was also timeless yet unique. 

The owners wanted every square inch to have purpose and function, where people could gather and get away and where they could maximize enjoyment of the view. One last – important request – was to include a fully-functional home gym.

We spoke to Tammara Stroud Design about the project.

The property

The property is perched high above Lake Washington with sweeping views of Mt. Rainier. The architecture of the home was designed to unite the interior and exterior living spaces in an organic and seamless approach. 

Although it was to be a modern light-filled structure, it was also important to our clients that it be a warm and family-friendly home. With this in mind, our aesthetic goal was to let nature be our guide for selecting colors, finishes and textures while also infusing playful hues that reflected the youthful and vibrant character of the family.

Living and dining room

With its fusion of luxurious materials, warming wooden surfaces and soothing natural color palettes in the form of sumptuous soft furnishings, this new-build construction is a beautiful blueprint for practical, resourceful and tranquil living.

All the materials and fittings have been carefully chosen and a lot of sacrifices were made to create this home, but our sense of achievement now is exhilarating.

For the main living space we chose rich mossy greens, creams and caramel hues for the color palate – a choice that was hugely dictated by nature.

Distinctive light fixtures are among the most inspiring of the various elements that we have used to add their own unique character throughout this space. We chose handblown Lindsay Adelman branching glass bubbles for the dining room, Niche Modern kitchen pendants and a custom Ron Dier selenite halo chandelier for the great room.

See: Living room ideas – clever ways to decorate living spaces

Kitchen

The warmth and natural beauty of wood, with its imperfections and the huge variety of tones, creates not just a luxurious feel, but a sense of nature at your fingertips. Wood is like no other material in this world. It is, arguably, the most beautiful solution for the kitchen.

In this space, we used wide European oak planks for the flooring, rift oak for the kitchen cabinets and honed white glass for the kitchen backsplash. As well as providing a clean neutral background, white is a great color for bringing out the tones and textures of pieces placed within its context. 

We then layered in with textures like boucle, leather and velvet fabrics – and used metal and brass for tables for added interest and intrigue.

See: Kitchen ideas – decor and decorating ideas for all kitchens 

Home gym

Located on the lower level is the mudroom, children’s rooms, playroom, and 500-square-foot movement gym. To give this level a special feeling of its own, we used fresh, playful colors and finishes. 

Aside from being the best option for your fitness – a home gym will never close, and it will be tailored entirely to you – it can also relieve stress, improve your mood, help promote restful sleep, and do wonders for your mental health. The movement gym comes equipped with the bright orange monkey bars, climbing rope and even a water fountain. 

What's more, one side of the gym is covered in the original wood siding, reclaimed from the prior home. This was a rather important touch for us – and the owners alike.

Boy's room

A fresh blue and white scheme may be a classic seaside combo but its popular appeal has spread far from the shore.

Here, we have used crisp white paint throughout and glossy nautical blue penny tiles in the boy’s bathroom. 

Bedrooms

This intense shade of blue has origins in India and has always had strong links with global style. Injecting depth to a room like no other blue, balance with white and natural color to keep things calm.

See: Bedroom ideas – designs and inspiration for beautiful bedrooms

Terrace

The demand for industrial materials shows no signs of abating in the interiors world, so it’s no wonder that it’s hot property in urban garden design too right now. This stylish outdoor fire pit teamed with plush soft furnishings gives the al fresco living space an ultra-modern feel. The finished result is a casual vibrant place where the children and parents want to hang out together.

Today, as we walk through the large, light-filled house, natural materials, rich textures, calming colors, strong shapes and a scattering of hardy industrial features resound, complementing and amplifying the building’s structure.

Interior design / Tammara Stroud Design 

Architecture / Mccullough Architects 

Home building firm / JayMarc Homes

Photography / John Granen