Home Design Trends

This week’s Seattle Time’s Pacific Northwest Magazine featured article “Homes for a Lifetime of Living” which highlights the 2010 American Institute of Architect (AIA)  Seattle design competition.

Homes showcased are designed to grow with a family’s needs. The days of segmented formal rooms for living, dining, and cooking are rapidly disappearing, and being replaced with spaces that are more compact – yet flexible.

It was great for me to read comments by David Miller, an architect and chairman of the University of Washington Department of Architecture. I’ve had the pleasure of working with his firm on several occasions and agree with his assessment, “Lasting flexibility has been a common approach for Northwest architecture since we stared doing Modern houses; its part of the Modernist credo. The northwest, though, has that outdoor-indoor connection.”

The Isles cottage community in Anacortes, carries on the Modernist tradition of creating a small footprint with a strong indoor-outdoor relationship. Common areas, pathways, and clubhouse appeals to those looking to create a sense of community within the neighborhood. I call the design concept “Swasian” combining my Swedish minimalistic senses with strong Asian influences. As odd as it sounds, traditional craftsman styling goes hand-in-hand with native plants and grasses to provide naturalized areas that are low-maintenance.

I developed The Isles knowing that this is the type of home I would build for myself. There will never be a need to ‘move-up’ or ‘downsize’. The flexibility of the space can change with our future lifestyle needs. Because of the built-in security, property management, and zoned living, these cottages function well as primary homes, vacation homes, or rentals.

Lot purchase includes original design plans; custom plans developed upon request.