Design house: A Mid-century modern home, overlooking Lake Washington

This contemporary home was remodelled and updated with a blend of Southern California modernism and Pacific Northwest woodcraft.

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This light and bright space is a Mid-century home located on a 15,539-square-foot hillside lot in Mercer Island, Washington, overlooking Lake Washington.

THE PROPERTY

The original house had great bones but was disconnected from the outdoors. Wittman Estes wanted to give the family a way to live outside and connect with their Southern California roots. Originally built in 1969, the post and beam structure had fallen into disrepair, and had a layout that was out of sync with the casual modern lifestyle for a young family with two children.

The owner is Melanie Owen, a fashion designer with a keen interest in interior design and outdoor living. Originally from Southern California, her design sensibilities were rooted in SoCal surfer culture and the casual and open vibes of beach living. Both Melanie and her husband, Matt, work in fashion and clothing and have deep interests in texture, materiality, and a spaces with a comfortable lived-in feeling.

LIVING ROOM

Melanie’s roots in Southern California brought a love for bright, light tones, and simple open spaces. Together with the architect, this vibe was mixed with Pacific Northwest traditions of wood tones and highly crafted built-in furniture. The goal was to create spaces that had both the qualities of Southern California modernism with a warmer, high quality carpentry that the Puget Sound region is known for.

Mid-century modern home

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

See:Design house: A coastal home located on a historic lagoon, designed by Julie Rootes

OPEN-PLAN KITCHEN

The outdoor deck has a ipe decking and built in seating. Cedar slat walls screen the neighboring houses while allowing the sunlight to filter through the screens. The kitchen was reconfigured to orient to the outdoors encourage an easy connection between the living room, dining room, and outdoor space. A concrete and glass stair connect the upper terrace to the garden and landscape.

Mid-century modern home

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

Mid-century modern home

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

See:Design house: This traditional home in California has been given a modern update

Mid-century modern home

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

GARDEN

'We sought to connect the spaces in so the family could be relaxed and cruise barefoot going indoors and out', says Wittman. The breezy and lightweight feeling of the material palette encourages the family to step outside and connect with the sunlight and views over Lake Washington and towards the downtown Seattle skyline.

Mid-century modern home

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

EXTERIOR

The outdoor terrace is kept private from the street, while affording generous views to the Lake and beyond.

(Image credit: Rafael Soldi)

Architect/ Wittman EstesInterior design/ Matt Wittman AIA LEED AP/ Jody Estes/ Hayley SniderStructural Engineer/ Josh WelchEngineering Builder/ Treebird Construction

Jennifer Ebert
Jennifer Ebert
Editor

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for several years in both the US and UK, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing and occasionally dabbles in the social media, commercial, and the e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling houses designed by some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances, and even writing a few news stories or two.