Sudden Valley Makeover

Why should a home have a view from just the kitchen, but not the rest of the house? That was the challenge posed to me by my clients on this remodel in Sudden Valley, on the outskirts of Bellingham. And I do love a challenge!

After the client sent me Pinterest, Houzz, and other online inspiration, I had gleaned a pretty good idea of their tastes. I knew I wanted their new home to feel like a place where the family could be comfortable and that is user-friendly for both kids and adults, with open spaces that still felt warm and cozy.

To open up the main floor living space, we took down two walls that originally enclosed the kitchen, dining, and family room. By doing this, all these areas gained new light and a view. The oversized island became the focal point of the space. Warm gray cabinets and a brick backsplash added texture and color. We chose not to have upper cabinets in the kitchen, and instead built open shelving that matched the new exposed beam in the family room. The fixtures are a combination of matte gold and black.

Throughout the home, oversized bright white trim was added to all the floors, windows and doors. The floors were replaced with dark distressed wood, complementing the white walls and trim. The fireplace in the living room was refaced with encaustic cement tile — where the pattern comes from different colors of clay rather than the glaze — and a faux-beam mantle. Although the living room is the smallest room on the main floor, it is perfect for the family to sit by the fire with a good book, or to play games.

Sharing a meal is now a treat from both the island and large dining table, with the lake view being front and center. My clients made a good decision and stayed in their rental home until the remodel was mostly finished. This made the remodeling process much easier on everyone involved, and at the end of the project I was told “You made all my Pinterest dreams come true!”

There is no better feeling than happy clients.

For more stories like this, check out our Habitat Remodel section here.

" I knew I wanted their new home to feel like a place where the family could be comfortable and that is user-friendly for both kids and adults."