Aia Home Of The Month -- West Seattle Remodel Orients Home To Take Advantage Of View

The house: A much-remodeled Craftsman built in 1905 on a West Seattle bluff, it had incredible views of Puget Sound and the city of Seattle, but wasn't oriented toward them. The house also had structural problems, including settling and rotting, and had suffered from years of patchwork remodeling.

The architect: Thomas V. Lawrence of Lawrence Architecture in Seattle.

The design strategy: Find a property with potential and rebuild it. The remodel stays essentially faithful to the original Craftsman plan on the exterior, although a bay window was added to take advantage of the view toward the city. The inside was gutted. An island-style kitchen is now on the water side; the living room has a night view of downtown. With an eye to future resale, the owner decided on three bedrooms upstairs. The master bedroom has gabled ceilings and a sweeping water view, including tugboats and ferries rounding Alki point. One of the smaller bedrooms will be an office. An enclosed sun porch and old-fashioned sleeping porch were rebuilt as open decks, rimmed with steel-and-glass railings.

The owner: A well-to-do bachelor with no children.

The contractor: Kinetic Construction, Inc., Steve Bley.

Size: 1,969 feet, three bedrooms, 2.5 baths.

Construction cost: About $200,000 for remodel only.

Design details: The hardwood floor is laminated bamboo, the kitchen counters imported South American slate. A low-voltage lighting system is suspended from steel wires running diagonally the length of the first floor, free-standing fireplace is canted at the same angle, focusing attention on northeast-facing bay window with its downtown view.

Judges' comments: Project preserved general character . . . of existing home while providing an updated funtionality and appeal.

Floor plans: See page XX

Tour details: Noon to 5 p.m. today (Sunday) only

Address: 1123 Sunset Ave. S.W., West Seattle.

Driving directions: Take the Admiral Way exit off the West Seattle bridge, then a right on California Avenue Southwest. Drive about 10 blocks north, then turn left on Southwest Atlantic Street, then right on Sunset Avenue Southwest. The house is in a cul-de-sac nearly at the end of Sunset, on the left.

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.