Aia Home Of The Month -- Distinctive Rooms Create A Collage-Like Feel To House

The house: Designed for two longtime condominium dwellers, the West Seattle house has both voluminous spaces - like the living room, with its 33-foot ceiling and area for a grand piano - and cozy areas: the small family room that's purposely separated from the compact kitchen by a wall with a pass-through. The main floor has a dramatic, two-story stairwell set crosswise to the entry, a living room, formal dining room, kitchen, family room and powder room. Upstairs are two bedrooms, two baths and laundry area. Clerestory windows bathe the north-facing home in light, and window walls provide panoramic views.

The architect: Ben Trogdon of Ben Trogdon Architects. The owners chose him after viewing a previous Seattle Times/AIA home, and particularly liked his use of natural woods, which he employed here extensively, giving the house a strong Northwest modern feel. While the owners were quite firm in wanting a modestly sized home ("There were a lot of ways they could have had more floor space, but they didn't want it," Trogdon says), they gave him carte blanche on the exterior. Trogdon played off the neighborhood's mix of architectural styles by mixing rooflines, angles and materials.

The owners: Wayman Hamlin and Kenneth Swenson. The pair bought the 6,180-square-foot lot 25 years ago as an investment. Because of its panoramic, unobstructed view of Elliott Bay and downtown Seattle, Hamlin felt the property warranted a unique house. The result provides "lots of views in different directions," he notes. Swenson's focus was floor plan: "I don't like dead-end rooms. This house has a flow-through feel."

The contractor: Rocky Kuehny, owner of Woodmasters Quality Construction in Seattle.

The size: 2,460 square feet.

Construction cost: $375,000.

Judges' comments: "A vivid play of parts and materials; blends well with the eclectic neighborhood. The clients apparently requested interior spaces with separate identities and the result is a collage of rooms quite unlike the `open' spaces the (judging) committee is used to seeing. The exterior materials, clustering of spaces, and the overall design and detailing were handled well."

Floor plans: See page XX

Tour details: Today (Sunday) only from noon to 4 p.m.

Address: 1730 Walnut Ave. S.W., West Seattle.

Driving directions: From I-5 north or south take the West Seattle Freeway (S.W. Spokane Street) exit. Go west. Exit onto Admiral Way Southwest and continue up the hill. Turn right on 41st Avenue Southwest and continue four long blocks. Turn right at Southwest Holgate Street, and follow Times Open House signs to the house. Be prepared to park and walk on inclined streets and sidewalks. Access for the disabled is limited. The Seattle Times/AIA Home of the Month program began in 1954. All licensed architects are encouraged to submit their residential work for consideration. Nominees are reviewed by the Seattle Chapter, AIA Home of the Month Committee, which includes peers and non-architects. Call 206-448-4938.