Before & After: Two Former Circus Performers Remodel Their Home Like a Refined Big Top

This hillside residence in Seattle tempers three-ring spectacle with the restraint of Japanese design to fix a disjointed plan.

Nov 13, 2020 - 03:17
Before & After: Two Former Circus Performers Remodel Their Home Like a Refined Big Top

This hillside residence in Seattle tempers three-ring spectacle with the restraint of Japanese design to fix a disjointed plan.

The team took down the solid walls that separated the living room from the adjacent dining room, and opened up sightlines between the living room and the upper floor.

Although this West Seattle home had a fantastic location on a sloped lot near a city park and a good amount of square footage, it felt fragmented inside thanks to a string of piecemeal remodels since its construction in 1975. The most recent owners wanted better flow between the rooms, and connection to the incredible water views. 

SHED Architecture + Design stepped in with a remodel plan that draws on the homeowners’ past experiences. "Having lived in Japan, they enjoyed both traditional and contemporary design elements, from the concept of the tea room to Studio Ghibli to contemporary Japanese architecture," notes SHED. "They sought a balance of old and new, crafted and minimal." The clients’ former professions as circus performers also came into play, as it gave them an "affinity for open, dynamic spaces," says the firm. 

To that end, SHED significantly streamlined the home by first unifying the exterior façade, and then organizing the new interior plan around the idea of the "big top," which is the primary tent of a circus.

Before: Exterior and Entry Sequence 

Before: The 2571-square-foot house sits on a steeply sloped lot in West Seattle. A spiral staircase provides access between the sidewalk and front door.
Before: A series of remodels had stripped the home, originally built in 1975, of a strong identity.


After: Exterior and Entry Sequence

Now, custom-milled cedar and charcoal metal panels streamline the front façade. The bright orange chimney acts as the

Now, custom-milled cedar and charcoal metal panels streamline the front façade. The bright orange chimney acts as the "tent pole" at the center of the redesign.

Tony Kim

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