Located in Lake Washington, between Seattle and Bellevue, Mercer Island is a picturesque haven that boasts stunning waterfront properties and breathtaking vistas.
With a population of just over 25,000, it exudes a charming small-town atmosphere, masterfully balancing the amenities of urban living with the tranquility of suburban life. For locals, it’s a perfect blend of natural beauty and urban convenience.
It is here that a storied residence sits – one that originated in the 1960s as a modest beachfront cabin. Over the intervening years, a succession of piecemeal renovations slowly eroded the original design's cohesive vision. By the time the current owners acquired the property, its aesthetic harmony had given way to a patchwork of disparate elements.
Yet, nestled amidst the lush forested surroundings, the site's natural beauty remained intact. This allowed the design team of Graham Baba Architects and interior designer Terry Hunziker to breathe new life into the space, creating a serene refuge with strong, direct connections to nature.
Setting sight on the house, a stunning two-story glazed entryway offers glimpses through the structure to the water's edge. The clever incorporation of planted roof surfaces also helps create a fusion between architecture and the lush forest landscape.
The interior of the house underwent a complete transformation, stripping it down to the studs and completely reworking the layout. The home previously lacked visual connections to the adjacent lake, but the renovation reoriented all of the major spaces to take advantage of the stunning waterfront views.
The main floor, which makes up the middle level of the three-story home, now serves as the central hub of the residence. This public zone includes a galley-style kitchen that flows seamlessly into the breakfast nook, as well as the formal dining and living areas. A compact guest room rounds out the main floor plan.
Upstairs, a second story was added to create more privacy, housing the spacious master suite as well as the children's bedrooms. The staircase connecting the levels was designed as a striking architectural element, with floating wood treads made of fumed white oak seemingly suspended within a wood-clad enclosure.
Down in the basement, the previously closed-off lower level has been reimagined as a family-focused space. This flexible lower level now contains a comfortable family room, an exercise room, a playroom, and even a dedicated wine cellar. Importantly, this subterranean level now opens directly to the waterfront, allowing indoor and outdoor activities to seamlessly flow together.
Materially rich finishes balance the otherwise crisp and spare detailing found throughout the house. Polished concrete and stone, cirussed rift white oak wood, fumed oak floors and blackened steel create a warm yet refined aesthetic. Every detail, from door pulls to sink faucet levers, was meticulously designed, detailed, and fabricated.
Standout features include the staircase with floating wood slabs, custom bead-blasted nickel hardware, an oversized Japanese soaking tub, and sliding leather-paneled pocket doors to the master bedroom and bathroom. Concealed doors and integrated handrails reinforce the minimal aesthetic without sacrificing rich materiality.
Outside, the home's facade features subtly dimensional effects with its varied sizes of dark-stained cedar siding. Cor-Ten siding wraps selected portions of the exterior to articulate the composition and massing. Integrated sunshades and fins on all west-facing windows marry function with aesthetics, adding visual texture while mitigating direct sun exposure.
Photo: Kevin Scott
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