Bay View Residence
The owner of this property purchased it with the notion of someday building her forever home in the bucolic village of Bay View overlooking Padilla Bay. She and her husband lived nearby, in a large family home on several acres with a beautiful view of the Skagit Valley. She was used to the views and ready to downsize into an age-in-place home that would be as easy to maintain as it was beautiful to enjoy. They turned to HKP Architects Partner Julie Blazek, whom they had known since their daughter was in high school, to design an energy efficient, thermally comfortable, healthy home that would fit into the neighborhood fabric and capture the incredible views. The interior of this 2-bedroom, 2.5 bath house is 2,160 square feet with a two-car garage.
One of the owner’s design requests was to save the mature tree in the south yard and views of the iconic church across the street, which she now enjoys from the kitchen. Equally important to them was creating space to be outside under cover to enjoy the views and sunsets. Once the program and setbacks were established, fitting the house on the site proved to be a bit challenging. What emerged is a compact plan, centered around a pyramidal roof that defines the living and dining rooms. With its exposed beams and wood ceiling, it is the focal point of the house, anchored on the east with a stone tiled fireplace and custom wood cabinets and opening to the west with large windows and French doors.
The pyramidal roof harkens back to earlier designs of HKP Architect’s founder, Henry Klein, and settles into the hillside with its neighbors as if it has been there for decades. It also allows the neighbors to the east additional views. The sweeping porch on the west serves as an easily accessible outdoor porch as well as access to the garden and landscaped patios, as the site slopes gently downhill towards the water.
The owners were interested in superior indoor air quality and thermal comfort. HKP’s focus on passive building strategies was a perfect match, with an emphasis being put on the thermal performance and air tightness of the building envelope. A Heat Recovery Ventilator, or HRV, was installed to provide 100% fresh air at a very low volume 24/7, which provides incredible air quality and energy savings for the life of the building, even in smoke and pollen seasons. The residence is all-electric, with energy-efficient heat pumps providing heating and cooling.
Age-in-place design was requested and intentionally conceived, which is evident from the driveway all the way through the house. On-grade entry, low-thresholds, wide doors, roll-in showers, wheelchair turn-around space at the toilets and blocking for fully accessible grab bars at toilets and showers were provided without a clinical appearance. Cabinets were also designed so that sections could be removed in the future to allow for accessible knee space. This home is well-suited for the owners to enjoy for decades to come, as well as for any visitors or family members who have temporary or permanent accessibility needs.
Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the design process and resulting environment was planning for the owner’s art pieces, which take center stage in this house. The paintings on the walls are perfectly suited for each space, and the cubbies in the living room and kitchen are curated with meaningful pieces collected over their travels and from their favorite local artists. Antique furniture pieces blend perfectly with the modern architecture, and everything seems to have its place throughout the house. Beauty and joy reside inside and out in this quaint water view home.
