The Perkins Lane House was designed for Julie Richmond, a former client, and close friend. Julie and her late husband Bard purchased this property in 1999, an empty lot adjacent to their house, with thoughts of eventually developing it. The site is on a steep slope along the Magnolia bluff with expansive views of Puget Sound and the Olympic mountains to the west. Julie’s design directive and program were to create a house with the primary bedroom suite, the main living spaces, and the garage on one level, ensuring easy access for both cars and pedestrians. Also required were three additional bedrooms with dedicated bathrooms and a recreation/workout room below. Thoughtful attention was given to the design of interior spaces to capture water views and optimize natural light, utilizing skylights and transom windows strategically folded into the roof structure. In the front yard, we created a more intimate, indoor-outdoor enclosed private space, featuring a large non-infiltrating bio retention pond, which can be experienced from an elevated pedestrian bridge connecting the house to the street.  Exterior materials comprise a combination of custom-milled cedar siding and "Swiss pearl" composite panels, in addition to exposed painted steel beams and guardrails and concrete over metal pan decking. In the interior, the aluminum-clad wood windows are clear fir with a dark stain to match the dark-stained rift oak cabinets with blackened steel shelves and fireplace surround. The upper-level floors, including the custom floating stair with blackened steel guardrails, are rift oak, and the lower-level floors are ceramic tile.

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Project name: Perkins Lane House

Project type: New house over existing foundation

Building Area: 4,600sf

Consultants: SHD Landscape architects, SSF Structural engineers, Theresa Benny Interior Design, WR consulting civil engineer.

General Contractor: Schultz Miller Construction Company

Photography: Andrew Pogue Photography

Completed: November 2022