With its glass walls, off-center hip roof and soaring monitor, this house's great room wing cuts a dashing figure.
The great room's trapezoidal plan subtly emphasizes the room's generous size.
Low cabinets delineate cooking, dining, seating, and office areas in an otherwise open space.
The bedroom wing departs dramatically from the great room wing, with a linear floor plan topped by a roof with a corner-to-corner ridge beam.
Many of the house's furnishings were fabricated for this project, including a custom bed clad in cherry "shingles."
The soaring second floor of the house, clad in semi-transparentstained cedar shingles, sits atop the granitesheathed lower level.
The soaring second floor of the house, clad in semi-transparentstained cedar shingles, sits atop the granitesheathed lower level.
Fresh air and light stream in through the clerestories on the home’s west side. A massive granite fireplace anchors the living room.
Fresh air and light stream in through the clerestories.
The dining area.
The master bedroom is on the same level as the main living areas—part of an age-in-place plan that includes an elevator and door openings wide enough for a wheelchair.
Light fixture.
Head board and base board.
Placing the shower tiles in a vertical pattern adds a nice touch to the tile work and allowed me to give it a somewhat random feel, says architect Nils C. Finne.
A sapele and blackened steel bench designed by Finne provides a convenient place for towels and clothing.
There are no sight lines from neighboring properties into the bath, but a hidden shade pulls down anyway to provide extra privacy.
The tub and vanities look out over the scenic Snoqualmie Valley.
Many components of this kitchen were custom-fabricated, such as the resin and CNC-milled cabinets; cast-glass bar counter; hand-blown glass light fixtures; and steel wall panels, which were left outside to weather for three months.
New clerestories bring natural light into the kitchen, and radiant-heated terrazzo floors provide even warmth.
In the southwest corner, an oval tub sits in a steel frame with a laser-cut pattern resembling vine runners, which is repeated on the valances.
Over the sinks, architect Nils C. Finne added large mirrors, suspended in thin steel frames, that reflect patterns and light from the continuous windows behind them. They contribute a moment of glamour to an otherwise restrained room, and they do sway, underscoring the sense of hovering lightly in space.
With its new gabled fir ceiling, cherry cabinets, and limestone floors and countertop, the bath plays off its natural setting.
Planks from the same elm tree top off the island and the matching dining table. The long outside edge was left raw for visual and tactile interest.
Glass mosaic tiles in shades of blue-green add a touch of color to the limestone floor, the bathtub surround, and the shower floor.
The undulating cabinet fronts in this Seattle kitchen contrast with the rough texture of plaster backsplash tiles.
The FOSS pendant light, by FINNE Architects, is made of handblown glass. It gets its name from the Norwegian word for "waterfall."
Furniture and lighting design are logical sidelines for Seattle architect Nils Finne, AIA. He often creates custom pieces for his residential projects, and adapts them for other buyers on a made-to-order basis. "Compared to implementing and executing architecture, it's more manageable, in a sense, and more immediate," he says. His custom SVING bench, completed in June, joins sinuous strips of Sapele wood with legs of blackened steel.
