There’s no shortage of natural beauty on Bainbridge Island, so when a Seattle couple decided to create a second home there, they made their abiding respect for the Northwest island’s character the core of the endeavor. “Our inspiration came from the old beach houses in the area, where my wife spent her summers as a child,” the husband says. “We wanted a place that would blend in and feel like it had been there for generations.”
To realize their vision, the couple called on architect Steve Hoedemaker and interior designer Tim Pfeiffer, a team known for creating homes that live lightly on the land. Taking their cues not just from the centuries-old residences nearby, the team also played on the idea of crafting a family retreat or campsite. “The camp idea really resonated with us,” Hoedemaker says. “We wanted to create elements that get everyone outdoors. You must leave one building to go to another, regardless of the weather, unlike the more urban version of indoor-outdoor living.”
“We really appreciated the spontaneous, fluid sketching of initial concepts to hone our vision,” the wife adds. “There was no sense of being rushed as Steve and Tim were very comfortable with us asking endless ‘what if’ questions and investigating our ideas.” The resulting home is composed of thoughtful, idiosyncratic spaces, including a kitchen with a demure island scaled to fit The New York Times and a cup of coffee, as well as a spacious living and dining room where Pfeiffer kept things “lofty and light,” adding woven dining chairs that “nod to midcentury but have a beach vocabulary,” he explains. Ideas pulled from historic houses, including Hoedemaker’s own boyhood abode, act as reminders to slow one’s pace. “The cedar sleeping porch, reading nook and enclosed porch off the family room reflect the island’s sensibility,” adds general contractor (and local resident) Jim Hobbs. “The finishes are rustic and the rooms generous, all setting the mood for casual gatherings.”
“The clients have very elegant taste and wanted to the keep the interiors monochromatic,” continues Pfeiffer, who happily followed their brief of creating “areas of tranquility.” Tucked into a corner of the living room is a piano, an inherited treasure, while the family room’s window seat provides a favorite vantage point for taking in the views. “It’s the place to be to watch the ferries pass, stare out at Mount Rainier in the distance or just snuggle up with a good book,” the wife says.
“This home was really about getting away from city life,” adds landscape architect Anne C. James, who created an informal series of outdoor spaces to be enjoyed at different times of the day and throughout the changing seasons. “Some areas provide a sense of prospect and refuge, while others are more private, reflective and inwardly focused.” To keep the landscape low maintenance, James minimized the lawn and selected native plantings, adding a sheltered terrace, fire pit (“An inviting spot to linger on cool evenings,” she says) and an enclosed vegetable and flower garden. “Forested areas were enhanced with more Douglas firs and Western red cedars to establish a new generation of trees,” she adds, noting that they also repurposed rhododendrons from a nearby property preparing for redevelopment. “A lucky coincidence to save them from the wrecking ball!”
But just a short walk from the main residence is the couple’s real getaway—a barn that houses their studios. “We knew we’d be spending a lot of time here and wanted dedicated workspaces where we could pursue our varied projects,” the husband says. “The doors facing the water allow my wife to roll her table out onto the deck and work outside.” His side is designed for reading, writing, composing and recording music, or just relaxing in an overstuffed armchair by the wood-burning stove.
“We wanted this house to be a good citizen of time,” Hoedemaker says. “There’s a real sense of richness, history and maturity here.” So, although the freshly constructed dwelling may be a new addition to the island, it truly feels ageless.
