An Artistic Heart: Kitchen Remodel in Seattle is Both Gallery and Gathering Space.
- GRAY AWARDS
- Jun 25
- 3 min read
Chromatic Renaissance by Story Architecture is a finalist in the 8th annual GRAY Awards in the Kitchen breakout category.
FINALIST
Breakout category: Kitchen
Designer: Story Architecture
Images: Miranda Estes
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SUBMISSION
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This is a whole-house renovation and addition in North Seattle. The lovely clients are accustomed to the warm and vibrant colors of their native country. They asked us to design an addition and whole-house renovation that would be in keeping with the needs of their busy family. We opened up the home on the first floor, giving a loft feel. Black windows and white, high-ceilinged spaces set a backdrop for splashes of color throughout. Warm wood flooring borders mosaic cement tile, and a large pantry has sliding barn doors that also hide an entrance to the family room. The kitchen is unusual in that it also serves as an art gallery, with multiple display areas above the pantry for the client's artwork, much of which was made by her beloved mother. During a time when design has been leaning toward monochromatic and neutral tones, these clients were bold in their assertion that colors and patterns would counteract the grayness of the Seattle landscape during most months of the year. Design challenges included a site that is on a peat bog, so the design team included a geotechnical as well as structural engineer, and we were required to add pin piles to the design to anchor the addition. It was also a bit of a challenge to integrate the architectural ideas with the bold interior color choices of the clients. In the end, the result is a symphony of tones and patterns that are anchored by the factory-style windows and doors, the high ceilings, and the bold hardware of the pantry barn doors and exposed steel beam. Light fixtures are also part of the design, with particular attention paid to the needs of the family to have a happy and light-filled space for gatherings, meals, homework, and food preparation.
DESIGN TEAM:
Miriam Larson, Story Architecture
Natalie Smith, Client
COLLABORATORS:
Swenson Say Faget, Structural Engineer
Pangeo, Geotechnical Engineer
DESIGNER PROFILE:
Miriam Larson is a licensed architect in both Washington State and the State of Hawaii, and holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from University of Colorado and a Master of Architecture from the Southern California Institute of Architecture, as well as a LEED AP in Building Design and Construction. Miriam has over 25 years of experience working for architecture and design firms in the Pacific Northwest and Los Angeles, and has also worked as a carpenter, woodcarving apprentice, and furniture fabricator. Miriam is a Civita Institute fellow and shows her artwork in various galleries across the Pacific Northwest. Recently, Miriam’s work “The Urchin Citadel” was shown at the Seattle Architecture Foundation and at New York Design Week as an exploration of how Women affect the architectural landscape. Miriam was awarded the honor of being voted Best Architect by 425 Magazine in 2022 and 2023. Miriam began Story Architecture in 2013 and has been mainly focused on residential architecture, with some small commercial projects thrown in. Miriam’s background in low-income housing and carpentry helps clients focus on budget-friendly projects that foster good relationships with the craftspeople who build them. At Story, we believe in an honest and holistic design process. Transparency is key in everything we do, from the first discussion to the last day of construction. A building should be an extension of the people who reside within it, a guardian of the land upon which it is built. Beyond the environmental, structural, material, and conceptual elements, we strive to tell a story through built form.
The 8th Annual GRAY Awards is sponsored by:
