SHED Architecture & Design used surgical demolition to overhaul this century-old Seattle house

When a young couple looking to downsize snapped up a shabby 1921 bungalow in West Seattle, they knew they wanted a full renovation. The transformation under the direction of the local office SHED Architecture & Design is day and night: the 2,400 square meter house is dramatically lighter inside (and thanks to new charcoal shingles darker outside).

Plenty of southern daylight falls through picture windows, and extensive closets provide warmth in a climate known for its dreary rainfall. SHED opened up the interiors by removing partitions and using leaner substitutes. Between the living and dining areas with a view of Mount Rainier, the architects installed a privacy screen and tore out a wall that closed off the kitchen, which assigned its supporting role to a single slender column. “It was a necessity,” said SHED director Prentis Hale of the pillar that anchors the kitchen island. “It was less of a lightbulb idea than a surgical solution to a structural requirement.”

SHED Architecture & Design darkened the original house and rearranged the entrance stairs and added a second staircase to the basement; casework continues in the bathroom (Rafaek Soldi)

A really good idea, however, is the Kerf design barrier in the entire kitchen, in a maple veneer that shimmers against the anthracite-colored laminate.

This article originally appeared on our interior design website aninteriormag.com.