Exterior view showcasing the stunning rustic wood siding of both buildings. The whimsical grass landscape adds natural charm.

South Beach

New Construction, Interiors

There’s no shortage of natural beauty on Bainbridge Island, making it an ideal location for our clients, a longtime Seattle couple, to find their forever home. Drawing inspiration from the island’s old beach houses, which held special memories for the client from her childhood summers, we aimed to create a home that would seamlessly blend in with its surroundings and evoke a sense of timeless charm.

Exterior view of the main house, featuring its traditional yet modern design in harmony with the natural surroundings.

A short walk from the main residence leads to the couple’s getaway: a studio building inspired by regional boathouses. The studios provide dedicated workspaces designed to accommodate the couple’s various projects. She enjoys the art studio with the flexibility of rolling her table outside onto the deck to work, while his side is tailored for reading, writing, composing, and recording music. Both have inviting wood-burning stoves.

Exterior view of the studio building, characterized by its simple yet iconic silhouette and striking red doors.

View from the studio building porch, featuring a solitary Adirondack chair beneath the covered area, offering a serene spot to enjoy the picturesque view of Puget Sound

Interior of the Studio building featuring a versatile rolling studio table, designed for easy mobility between indoor workspaces and the outdoors.

Landscape architect Anne C. James crafted an array of outdoor spaces around the main residence, each designed to be enjoyed at different times of the day and throughout the changing seasons. The landscape features a mix of open areas offering expansive views and more secluded spots for quiet reflection. To honor the area’s natural flora, native plantings were chosen to restore and enhance the sensitive shoreline habitat and woodlands.

View of the fire pit on the patio, where large boulders have been thoughtfully incorporated to seamlessly blend with the natural landscape, creating a captivating outdoor space that harmonizes with the surroundings.

serene coastal view on Bainbridge island.

Exterior image highlighting the dining area outside the living room, where the design seamlessly connects indoor and outdoor living spaces, offering a picturesque setting for alfresco dining and entertaining.

the main entry, showcasing a design that offers a clear view through the entire house to the other side upon entering

Inside the main residence, the living and dining areas are spacious, lofty, and light-filled but scaled for intimacy and gathering with the furnishings. The interiors evoke a collected sense of casual elegance. The woven dining chairs nod to a midcentury beach-inspired aesthetic while the custom trestle table feels like it has a family heirloom presence. Simple sculptural seating for comfort and a monumental stone fireplace integrates the elements. A corner piano and a window seat in the family room offer intimate spots to take in the sheltered views of Mount Rainier and the passing ferries, embodying the home’s tranquil atmosphere.

The living room showcases an open design concept, accentuated by large timber trusses that add a sense of grandeur and rustic charm to the space.

A shot capturing the high ceilings in the living room, highlighting the intricate timber trusses and stunning large-scale custom pendants creating an inviting and impressive atmosphere.

A view through the open concept living and dining area, revealing three sets of double doors that open to the waterfront, seamlessly integrating the indoor and outdoor spaces.

The dining room features a custom Belgian-style trestle table, complemented by mid-century modern-inspired chairs with a beachy vibe.

The kitchen blends functionality and charm and features a separate peninsula perfectly scaled for reading The New York Times and sipping coffee. The interiors maintain a neutral palette, reflecting the clients’ humble tastes and desire for areas of serenity. To encourage interactions with the kitchen, we attached a family room, so that conversations with the chef are made easy and never far away.

The kitchen features soapstone countertops, brass and bronze fittings, and double-hung windows that offer easy cross ventilation, creating a perfect blend of beach house and farm kitchen vibes.

The island not only serves as a barrier but also provides a platform for the morning newspaper, adding functionality to the design.

The family room serves as a relaxed extension of the kitchen, with views of the Puget Sound and Mt. Rainier on clear days.

The Woodlake Coffee Table in Light Umber by Shoppe Amber Interiors adds a touch of natural elegance to the family room.

The covered porch lies just outside the family room creating an indoor-outdoor refuge. We played on a farmhouse vernacular for this room, featuring an enclosed outdoor porch with massive windows that open fully swinging up to allow unobstructed views.

The covered porch, an extension of the family room, features hinged window that open fully, creating an indoor-outdoor sanctuary.

The entry foyer becomes a central access and visual road map directing you to the varied areas of the two-story home. Simple furnishings were laid out to capture a key drop and an easy place to drop packages and shoes. The darker palette of the Persian rug grounds the entry and plays well with the family dog.

The entry foyer, bright and airy, becomes a central access point, with simple furnishings for a key drop and package storage. A dark Persian rug adds warmth and complements the family dog

An additional photo in the entry showcases the custom stairwell design, highlighting the blend of craftsmanship and architectural elegance in the home's interior

A close-up of the materials in the powder room reveals a honed concrete sink paired with light-stained vertical wood paneling and oil-rubbed bronze finishes, creating a modern yet warm ambiance.

The bedroom elements are designed with details that echo the island’s sensibility, offering relaxation and retreat. We created the primary bedroom to be a simple space, just big enough to serve the needs of daily rest and respite. A window seat creates a small extension of the space and leans into the landscape with views of the sound beyond.

The primary bedroom is a simple, tranquil space with a window seat that extends into the landscape, offering views of the sound beyond.

The primary bath focus was a spa-like experience within a modestly scaled room. To that end the vanity and whirlpool tub are integrated within aromatic cedar cabinetry and cascading concrete slabs. A large window adjacent to the tub opens fully to the yard with water and mountain views. The window, glass shower and custom mirror expand the light and air expanding the space.

In a modest space, the spa-like primary bathroom features integrated vanity and tub, cedar cabinetry, and a large window with water views.

The client wanted a more playful office. With artisan furniture and hand-woven carpet, we brought some color and shape to her workspace.

The client desired a more playful office space. Artisan furniture and hand-woven carpet were incorporated to add color and shape, creating a vibrant workspace.

The ‘Sunroom’ nods toward screened sleeping porches of old farmhouses, a discovered space playing on the idea of an enclosed outdoor room. This room has some of the best views in the house: Panoramic views of Puget sound from Mt. Rainer to downtown Seattle. Little wonder the family’s daughter quickly claimed this room as her own.

The seating area in this room, designed as a classic sleeping porch, offers a treehouse-like ambiance with its unfinished cedar paneling and expansive windows.

The bed in this room, once an extra lounge space, now serves as a cozy retreat with views of the lower pine boughs and the cityscape across the sound, capturing the essence of a waterfront treehouse

The guest room, located upstairs, is bright and airy with pops of green and blue accents. It features a window seat offering awesome views, adding to its inviting charm.

The main entry exterior features large stone steps, a water feature, and an open patio space, creating a welcoming and serene outdoor ambiance.

The exterior photo captures the family room, featuring double doors and a large-scale hanging pendant.

The family room is designed to be cozy and moody, perfect for watching movies and creating a relaxed atmosphere.

A movie room with a view onto the front patio, offering both entertainment and a connection to the outdoor space for a well-rounded experience.

The courtyard features natural cleft bluestone, sawn not snapped, for a natural touch to the outdoor space.

The house stands as a testament to the couple’s vision and the collaborative efforts of the design team. With seamless integration into the island landscape and thoughtful interior spaces inviting the outdoors in, the home embodies a timeless sense of tranquility. As architect Steve Hoedemaker notes, the house is a “good citizen of time,” blending richness, history, and maturity to create a truly ageless dwelling on Bainbridge Island.

The waterside of the home features natural shingles and a metal roof, embodying a timeless architectural design that harmonizes with its waterfront setting.

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