A quick glance at the new golf course home on Bainbridge Island reveals on-trend vertical siding and black window frames, a fresh, modern take on traditional farmhouse styling. But it’s the little details—and the challenges overcome—that truly set this home apart.
The homeowners, recent empty-nesters, came to Estes Builders with a desire to downsize, but also a clear wish list of rooms and features. The result was a bit larger than they originally planned, about 3,300 square feet, but in a footprint that still feels cozy for two while offering all the luxury touches they desired in their dream home.
Nowhere is that more deeply felt than the first-floor great room, combining an elegant kitchen, living room with fireplace, dining room, and wet bar. An amply sized island offers plenty of space for cooking as well as entertaining; open shelving along the back side expands storage space. The stainless steel appliance package, including a side-by-side Sub-Zero fridge with bottom freezer, dual wall ovens, and French-door convection oven, combines with white cabinets and hammered-metal industrial pendant lights for a look that is professional without feeling cold.
The home’s outdoor living space extends from the kitchen, with a large patio and stone fireplace providing the perfect spot for watching golfers on the 4th green.
Space Accommodations
With a tight lot necessitating a more efficient interior layout, designers added vertical volume to make the great room live larger; this also allowed for clerestory windows, which bring in plenty of daylight while ensuring privacy from the house next door.
The design team also took the homeowners’ existing dining room table into consideration. In its everyday size, the table fits easily, but the team ensured there was room to expand it into the great room space for holiday gatherings. A long crystal light fixture offers just a hint of bling above the table, echoed in a smaller, similar pendant above the martini glasses in the adjacent wet bar and other locations.
Tucked away from view behind the kitchen and staircase are several of the homeowners’ more prominent wish-list items—a large pantry, a butler’s pantry, a utility room, and a mud room/laundry room leading to a wraparound porch. Barn doors with robust hardware provide separation between the rooms while continuing the modern-farmhouse details.
“There was a lot of collaboration between me, the architect, and the clients to balance the desired room inventory with the square footage,” says Larry Loucks, an Estes Builders custom home consultant. “It’s all part of the process and evolved organically.”
Master Bathrooms for Two
On the second floor, the master bathroom offers a unique twist on the typical his-and-hers layout. Husband and wife have their own bathrooms, each with a room-length vanity, water closet, and sizable walk-in closet; a large walk-in shower connects the two spaces in the center, with an entryway from each bathroom wing. Gray wood-look tile walls wrap the shower, which also features built-in niches, pebble-tile floor, rainshower, handshower, and showerhead.
The his-and-hers areas are customized to each individual: hers offers a bright and airy white color scheme with ample cabinet and drawer storage and a bidet, while his features a taller vanity, with a black sink and dark, high-gloss cabinets.
Two guest rooms and a guest bathroom with tub complete the upstairs. Cozy, well-padded carpet is featured throughout.
Creative Solutions
Along with the interior layout, the infill lot’s tight space required coordination on the exterior. The angled footprint of the home makes efficient use of the property while also allowing for the homeowners’ desired side-load garage with turnaround space. To overcome a severe grade change on that side of the house, Estes conducted extensive pre-surveying and worked with soil engineers to find a balance between the size of the retaining wall and the depth of the garage.