1920s Glamour for a New Century

1920s glamour for a new century■

”Old-world charm with modern-day features.

Built in 1906 for Seattle area’s leading industrialist, Samuel Hill, the Hill House is a historic icon in the Harvard-Belmont District. Our client sought to give this vintage home a fresh design with an open layout, light-filled spaces and contemporary details to bring it into the modern-day.

How do you retain all the beauty of a 12,000 sq. ft., 100-year old historic home while bringing it into the present?

Bit by bit, and with painstaking attention to details. We started by building an entirely new first floor with four spacious bedrooms. This floor’s gem is a stunning master bathroom complete with white terrazzo floors and a custom door and base trims. To warm up the stone flooring, we installed radiant floor heat.

The most important thing was keeping intact the original look and feel. So we thoroughly researched and made sure the finishing touches stayed true to the house’s character. Unlike the original, the newly remodeled home features a full-scale media and fitness room: a full sauna, integrated media control systems, and a wet bar, wine bar, and additional storage.

Finally, we moved on to the soul of the home: The living area, kitchen, spare bathroom, and a rooftop terrace. To take advantage of sweeping views of South Lake Union, we added two NanaWall doors that flood the space with light. We expanded the kitchen and added a dramatic island that is 24-feet long and made of burnished nickel, perfect for entertaining or preparing a family meal.

The beautiful ballroom space only needed a little love to shine. We refinished the hardwood flooring to let their innate richness glow. We opened up the walls overlooking the roof terrace and turned them into windows to create a sense of openness and let in light. Outside on the roof terrace, overlooking the sparkling waters of South Lake Union, we redesigned the garden with an enhanced trellis and a beautiful glass canopy.

It’s difficult to make a classic even more timeless. But we’re glad we had a chance to breathe new life into this Capitol Hill masterpiece.