twinpeeks

Photography
John Granen
Styling
Michelle Cristalli

AIA Seattle // NW Home+Garden

OPEN HOUSE

MIRROR IMAGE RAINIER VALLEY HOMES

BLEND SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND LIKE-MINDED
NEIGHBORS. BY JENNIFER SCHAEFER
EVEN BEFORE THEY BECAME NEXT DOOR
NEIGHBORS IN MAY, MARRIED COUPLES HEIDI
NYMARK WILLIAMS AND PAUL WILLIAMS, AND
SHELLY AND JAYMEE JOHNSON HAD A LOT IN
COMMON. ALL FOUR ARE YOUNG, FIRST-TIME
HOMEOWNERS WITH THRIVING CAREERS 3

Tour these homes!

The AIA Seattle //
NW Home+Garden
Open House of the Month
Sunday, November 18,
Noon to 3 p.m.
See page 76 for details.
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Pages 3233: Neighbors Shelly

and Jaymee Johnson (on left) and
Paul Williams and Heidi NymarkWilliams outside their houses. Both
homes have designated space for
off-street parking out front. This
page: Shelly and Jaymees home
features large east-facing windows, and decks on the main and
upper levels maximize privacy and
territorial views and flood the
house with ambient light. The main
living area has hemlock floors that
Shelly and Jaymee chose to stain
dark (pictured). Opposite page:
Shelly and Jaymees bathroom is
both functional and stylish, with
his-and-her sinks by Philippe
Starck and custom wall-mounted
cabinets. The couple selected
orange laminate for the doors that
is easy to change if we ever get
tired of the color, says Shelly. At
the top of the stairs, a large window offers an unexpected view of
the Mount Baker neighborhood and
a glimpse of the Cascades.

AIA Seattle // NW Home+Garden

O P E N H O U S E //JOHNSON

RESIDENCE

(Heidi is a freelance make-up artist and Paul is the

owner of Goods, a Capitol Hill urban lifestyle store;
Shelly is an architect and Jaymee, a recent businessschool grad, works for T-Mobile). The two couples
also share a savvy sense of design and a fondness for
dogs. So it comes as no surprise that both were
attracted to a matched set of newly built houses
located a stones throw from Columbia City. The
houses provide a fresh alternative to conventional
in-city single-family housing, says architect Tony
Case of Seattle-based Case Design & Project
Management. They were designed to have a low
environmental impact and maximum appeal to a
targeted group of buyers. Heidi and Paul and Shelly
and Jaymee are perfect examples. Case, who was
also the projects builder, bought the side-by-side 30foot-wide lots along with the initial plans from a
colleague, Patricia Bittner of OPA Design Inc., with
the idea of pushing the plans even greener. Bittner
says the lots presented a challenge to develop
because they are designated by King County as environmentally critical areas due to a steep slope in the
back that is prone to landslides. The lots were
unbuildable without the proper permits, she
explains. It was important that the slope not be
compromised by construction. Bittner says she
spent nearly a year redesigning the houses to fit the
site. I took the dimensions to the absolute maximum [permitted]. They couldnt have been even a
hundredth of an inch wider or taller. Case says
he was drawn to the project in part because of the
Rainier Valley location. Im in love with this neighborhood. Its exactly where I wanted to build,
remarks Case, who is building another three similar
houses nearby. The proximity to downtown Seattle
and abundant access to public transportation
enhance the low environmental impact of the
homes by making car-free living a practical alternative. Columbia City, with all of its restaurants and
shops, is within walking distance a half mile to the
south, says Case. He adds, To make city living
viable, you have to pioneer areas such as this one
that are overlooked. The neighborhood was
also a big selling point for Shelly and Jaymee, who,
like Heidi and Paul, bought the house in the early
stages of construction. We like the diversity and the
quirky flavor, says Shelly. People often dont realize it, but Lake Washington is only five blocks away.
Were close enough to take our dog swimming twice
a day. A proponent of environmentally friendly
design, Case built 4011 Letitia Avenue S (home of
Shelly and Jaymee) and 4015 Letitia Avenue S (home
of Heidi and Paul) largely using sustainable materials
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3 5

Eight- to 9-foot ceilings with

exposed wooden beams make the
houses seem larger than 1,630
square feet. In a small space, its
important to have high ceilings,
says architect Tony Case.
Pictured: The main living area at
Heidi and Pauls. Opposite page,
top to bottom: Heidi and Paul decorated their bathroom with modern
flourishes, including a circular
floating mirror in front of the window, decorative grass on the sill
and a pedestal sink without the
pedestal. Horizontal wooden slats
are an attractive and creative way
to separate the stairway from the
daylight basement.

AIA Seattle // NW Home+Garden

F O R C O M P L E T E D E TA I L S , S E E F I N D I T, PAG E 7 8 .

O P E N H O U S E //NYMARK-WILLIAMS

RESIDENCE

and included many eco-conscious features, such as a

roof system ready to support a future green roof
(see sidebar) and radiant floor heat. The project
meets the four-star (out of a possible five) rating
standard set by the Seattle Master Builders
Associations Built Green program (builtgreen.net).
Green homes offer energy efficiency and better air
quality, says Case. They are the way of the future.
Fiber-cement siding in modern hues gives the
stacked three-level houses a stylish facade, while a
rain-screen system keeps the structures dry and
helps to prolong the life of the buildings. In the
front, a walkway made of recycled concrete pavers
leads to a small deck made of Trex, a blend of
reclaimed wood and plastic. The pavers used to be
a sidewalk or more likely a driveway, comments
Case. The narrow strip of front yard is ornamented
with drought-tolerant landscaping that both couples are in the process of cultivating. Inside, the
houses share a nearly identical floor plan save for a
slightly different kitchen layout. The front door
opens to a small entry connected to the main living
area, an open room used for lounging, entertaining
and dining. The room has the look and feel of a loft
space due to the minimalist design, which features
little trim, and the high ceiling with exposed
wooden beamstwo themes that are carried
throughout the home. The structure is the finish,
explains Case. As is the case with many green
homes, he says, we didnt use a lot of trim, to minimize materials and construction. Like the rest
of the house, the main living area was designed to
maximize the 1,630-square-foot interior. Notice
there are no hallways, says Case. Each of the three
levels has access to a deck or terrace, which adds circulation and extends the living space. The layout
makes the house feel much bigger than it is. Theres
not a lot of dead space, says Jaymee. A half bath is
cleverly tucked just inside the front doora useful
amenity that Case points out is rare in homes of this
size. The floor in the main room, as well as in
other areas of the house, is tongue-and-groove
decking made from a blend of spruce, pine and fir,
that both couples have left uncarpeted. Heidi and
Paul opted to leave the decking its natural hazel
color, while Shelly and Jaymee chose to stain the
wood dark brown, giving each home a distinctive
appearance. Because we bought the house presale,
we were able to make a few changes to the design,
says Shelly. In addition to choosing the color of the
wood floors, each couple customized their homes
exterior colors, cabinet colors, plumbing fixtures
and flooring for the ( CONTINUED ON PAGE 76)
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Edition 1 ::

Number 4

Architectural Firms :: Case Design

AIA Seattle // NW Home + Garden

OPEN HOUSE

& P r o j e c t M a n a g e m e n t + O PA D e s i g n
Cost :: $335,000 each
To u r i t : : 11.18.05

(see page 76 for details)

Clockwise from top: The homes profiles

reveal their sloped roofs, which are
BALCONY

BEDROOM
HALL

green roof (see sidebar). The Nymark-

CLOSET

CLOSET

designed to house a yet-to-be installed

Williams home features functional and fun

kitchen cabinets by Kerf design. The project
site plan showing the access to both houses
is from a secluded alley. The exterior walls

BATHROOM

BEDROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

BATHROOM

being lifted into position during the early

stages of construction. The floor plans illustrate the homes easy-to-navigate design.

Upper Level

Lower Level

DECK
FOYER

DINING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

KITCHEN

Main Level
3 8

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HEIRLOOM QUALITY
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tures architect Tony Case gave the twin

houses was the potential for a green roof
system. A green roof is an extension of the

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS FIREPLACES BATHROOMS CUSTOM FABRICATION

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existing roofusually a roofing membrane

overlaid with a drainage matdesigned to
be covered with soils and plantings, such as
grass. The soil is a special lightweight composition and is usually brought up on a specialized conveyor truck used to place bulk
materials, says Case. It takes very little
timeusually only an hour or so. Plantings
come up on a forklift or are carried up by
hand.

The benefits of this type of roof

are many, says Case. A green roof reduces

the amount of surface-water runoff from a
home site, helps keep the home cooler in hot
s

weather and helps recharge the air in urban

areas. Plus, it looks great! Another perk is

k-

that a green roof can last up to twice as long

as a conventional roof. A green roof can also

ct

cost twice as much as a conventional roof

es

due to the special soil and plantings, drainage

s
y

mat and heavier structure. However, as Case

s-

points out, the extra cost is amortized over a

much longer life for the roof.

For this

A L L P H O T O G R A P H S A N D A RT W O R K , C O U RT E S Y C A S E D E S I G N

project, Case used a white non-PVC material

(thermoplastic polyolefin or TPO) for the
membrane, which reflects light and heat.
The roof structure is sloped and designed
to accommodate the soil load imposed by
the green roof, says Case. Currently, the
roofs are bare; any soil and plantings are up
to the homeowners to implement. A local
company Case recommends for soil and
planting installation is Hadj Design. For
more information, contact Patrick Carey at
206.721.0084 or visit hadj.net. J.S.
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3 9

CHANDELIERS

Twin Peeks
C O N T I N U E D F RO M PAG E

37

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entry, kitchen and bathrooms.

For the kitchen floor, Shelly and Jaymee
chose slate tile that matches the floor in the
entry, while Heidi and Paul elected to use
Marmoleum, a natural product made from
linseed oil, wood flour, rosin, jute and limestone. Marmoleum is natural linoleum
thats been around for more than 100 years,
says Case. Its a great product that comes in
amazing colors. He continues, Unlike
vinyl, Marmoleum doesnt contain toxic byproducts and is ultimately easy to dispose of.
Modern, minimal cabinetry made of plywood and Italian plastic laminate, designed
by Seattle-based manufacturer Kerf using
Forest Stewardship Council-certified plywood, makes the most of the small space by
providing lots of well-planned storage.
From the main level, stairs made of birch
plywood lead upstairs to the second level and
downstairs to a daylight basement. The latter
are covered with seagrass matting, which also
covers the floor in the second bedroom/flex
room upstairs. The seagrass gives off a wonderful grassy smell, like freshly cut hay, says
Casea spring-fresh aroma that brings a
touch of the outdoors in.
Upstairs, the master bedroom has clean, simple lines that both couples have accentuated
with a low-profile platform bed. Spacious hisand-hers closets provide ample storage for both
husband and wife. The roomy closet comes in

Open House Tour

S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 8 , N O O N -

3 P. M . 4 0 1 1 & 4 0 1 5 L E T I T I A AV E . S .

This year a new partnership between the

American Institute of Architects Seattle
C h a p t e r (AIA Seattle) and N o r t h w e s t
Home + Garden brings the experience of
Puget Soundarea residential design to our
readers. Each issue, we will showcase an
architect-designed home selected by a joint
committee of AIA Seattle and NWH+G
panelists. The home will be open to the
public for a Sunday-afternoon viewing. We
end our first year of this ongoing collaboration with a bang by featuring two homes!
We invite you to tour both, located at 4011
and 4015 Letitia Ave. S. in the Rainier
Valley, on Sunday, November 18, between
noon and 3 p.m. For more information on the
tour and the Open House program, please
visit nwhomeandgarden.com or
aiaseattle.org. Or contact AIA Seattle program director Peter Sackett at 206.448.4938.
7 6

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NOV/DEC 05

handy for Paul, who uses his to house a tower

of sneaker boxes and other gear. Heidi and Paul
have turned the second bedroom/flex room
next door into an office, and Shelly and Jaymee
use it as a TV room that also provides additional storage space.
Downstairs in the basement, Case put a
unique spin on the exposed concrete floor
with a custom paint job that resembles marble. We applied concrete stain, neutralized it
with a wash and then applied a second color,
says Case. It was hard to predict how it
would turn out. Luckily, it looks great! In
addition to a utility room and laundry room,
the basement includes a second full bath and
guest room with two large storage closets,
one of which occupies the space under the
stairs. Shelly and Jaymee added an exterior
door to the other closet (another presale
adaptation) so they can access it from the
backyard. Since we dont have a garage, we
use the closet for things like our lawn mower,
tools and garden equipment, says Jaymee.
While the houses are look-alikes, both couples have big plans to continue personalizing
their space. Shelly and Jaymee recently built
two retaining walls in the backyard to protect the steep slopea project that required
five tons of rock. We wanted to guard
against erosion and increase the amount of
flat usable space, explains Jaymee. Heidi and
Paul continue to browse local shops for the
perfect furnishings to complement old
favorites, an example being a post-modern
1950s rosewood desk of Danish origin that
once belonged to Heidis dad. My favorite
pieces are midcentury modern classics,
remarks Heidi, and their home bears the
hallmark of her tasteful choices in dcor and
furnishings.
With such a short distance between the two
houses, this good-neighborly relationship is
only beginning. The two couples frequently
share decorating and landscaping ideas and
even talk of teaming up for future projects,
such as building a covered area for recycling.
Its great to have someone right next door
to bounce ideas off, says Heidi. Shelly agrees.
[We all] hit it off right from the start because
we were all going through the home-buying
process for the first time and making the
same decisions about finishes. We really
lucked outtheyre the kind of neighbors
youd hope for.
Jennifer Schaefer is a Seattle-based freelance writer
and managing editor of LuxuryRealEstate.com
Magazine.

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