This late-1980s home had something most homes don't — a sweeping panel of windows framing the Puget Sound. But the floor plan made it nearly impossible to appreciate. Guests entering the front door were stopped immediately by a large wall, funneled into an awkward narrow hall, and had to navigate around a corner just to reach the kitchen. The kitchen itself was wrapped in a wide C-shape of walls, closed off from the living area and the view beyond. A small den with glass French doors sat between the kitchen and an undersized primary bedroom. The dining room, tucked behind its own wall near the entry, went largely unused — and with both homeowners working from home, the layout simply didn't support their lives.

These clients live and cook intentionally. They bake gluten-free sourdough from scratch, can their own fruits and vegetables, make their own broths, and treat the kitchen as the true heart of the home. The existing layout made none of that possible — cramped, closed off, and completely disconnected from the view.

The redesign started with the view and worked outward from there. Removing the entry wall and the enclosing kitchen walls unified the entire main level into one expansive, light-filled space — kitchen, dining, and living area connected and open to the Sound. The oversized island became the anchor of the home, with room enough for serious prep work, baking, and the organized chaos of a household that makes everything from scratch. A pot filler over the range isn't a luxury here — it's a necessity. The former den was absorbed into a significantly enlarged primary suite. The underused dining room became a stunning private office with unobstructed water views.