Eclectic Touches Make This Classic Seattle Tudor Shine

Before the current owners purchased this classic Tudor on the shores of Seattle’s Lake Washington, the home had already undergone an extensive interior renovation. Notably (and luckily for the new owners), the kitchen and main suite were updated with modern-day layouts and amenities. The only hiccup was the aesthetic. “While it was a well-designed house, it was very glamour-forward,” designer Beth Dotolo says. “There were lots of shiny gold and glass elements, and it wasn’t my clients’ style.”

Dotolo was hired by the owners to give the residence what her firm calls a “micro-renovation.” “This is where we design by making smart changes without a huge gut renovation,” the designer explains, salvaging decor wherever they can. “It’s about helping the clients’ home become a better expression of their tastes,” she adds.

For this pair of newly minted empty nesters with gallery-worthy contemporary art and a flair for the eclectic, that meant taking bold swings with color and pattern. “I would describe the home as creative, art-focused, adventurous and modern,” the designer says. But it’s also firmly rooted in history, too, thanks to the residence’s original fireplace surrounds, wood paneling, stained-glass windows and redbrick exterior. “Sometimes we have clients that are open to new ideas that result in a fresh style you can’t quite put in a category,” Dotolo observes. “This is our favorite kind of design.” 

In the jewel-box living room, for example, neutral walls and gray millwork provide the perfect backdrop for a vibrant collection of paintings. But rather than shying away from color for the furnishings, Dotolo doubled down, sourcing dazzling fabrics for a pair of plush sofas. A chartreuse, rose, sage and burgundy embroidered linen on the frames is mixed with deep berry-red velvet on the cushions—the designer jokingly calls them red-wine proof. “We are a very textile-driven firm, so we often create a room around one statement fabric we just fall in love with,” she explains. A honey-hued coffee table and gold chaise lounge add to the depth and warmth of the space.

In the more casual family room, the designer used a kaleidoscopic hot-pink-accented velvet for the coffee table ottoman. But she didn’t stop there with pattern: The window coverings feature an earth-toned midcentury print, and a gold fabric covers the ottomans. Meanwhile, the artwork layers in a riot of color, including nautical blues and neon. It all works, according to the designer, thanks to the space’s large gray sectional. “We knew the clients would have bold art, and we added that statement coffee table,” she says, “so we provided a subtle note with the sofa.”

Neutrals reign in the dining room, where texture and playfulness do the aesthetic heavy lifting. On the ceiling, a hand-painted wallcovering plays off the homeowners’ lilac-upholstered dining chairs. Meanwhile, the sculptural table and ethereal chandelier double as art. “The light fixture is a gorgeous piece that we thought felt almost like a jellyfish,” Dotolo says. A framed black-and-white mugshot of Johnny Cash hangs next to the home’s original leaded-glass windows, effortlessly walking the line between historic and modern. 

The same can be said for the entry, where the designer describes a “tension between old and new.” The intersection of the smoky-glass light fixture, velvet-upholstered bench and modern art contrast beautifully with the traditional marble flooring and arched oak front door.

For Dotolo, the mission for this renovation was clear: to help tell the story of the artistic people who live here without completely erasing the history and character that already existed. “The home needed to let the clients feel inspired and creative, be good for entertaining and cater to their family when the kids are all home,” she says, “but also be warm and inviting when it’s just the two of them.” And on all these fronts it strikes the right balance—while also having some fun.