This home sits in a quiet, community-forward Seattle neighborhood—forested landscaping, a nearby church, and a community garden that makes the area feel like a pocket of calm tucked inside the city. Our work began with a simple question: How do we make a basement feel like a destination—not an afterthought?

Rather than fight the reality of lower ceilings and cooler light, we leaned in. Basements are naturally more cave-like, so we designed a space that feels intentionally cocooned: darker, calmer, and softly luminous.

In 2014, we embarked on a transformative renovation project at the Chautauqua Beach Residence, revitalizing the space to meet the homeowners' evolving needs and desires. The project focused on updating the kitchen, improving the layout, and creating a more inviting and functional space.