DES MOINES, Washington 鈥� Poor Puget Sound. There it sat, off the sloping Des Moines shoreline, all shimmery and scenic and beckoning 鈥� but for decades, no one really gave a rip.
Back in 1952, Jill says, her grandfather paid 鈥�$10, plus other considerations鈥� for just over an acre of that sloping waterfront. By 1955, he and Jill鈥檚 grandmother had themselves a two-bedroom, one-bath house. Nothing to see here, folks.
Even after Jill鈥檚 mother inherited the house, and Jill鈥檚 parents added a family room, hobby area, master bedroom, garage and hallway in 1966, the Sound was still out of sight and out of mind.
鈥淭he old house had two picture windows and a brick door with green concrete stairs 鈥� no patio,鈥� Jill says. 鈥淭here was one sliding glass door to go out.鈥�
In 2014, Jill took full ownership of the family home 鈥� she considers herself a third-generation 鈥渃aretaker鈥� 鈥� and called architect Dave Buck, of Chesmore5/8Buck Architecture, to see about seeing that sea.
鈥淎 lot of the early houses built in this area are waterfront, but people didn鈥檛 treasure the setting and views,鈥� says Buck. 鈥淭he original house didn鈥檛 take advantage of them. Property by the water used to be second-class. It was like it was built from a set of plans 鈥� it didn鈥檛 really know where it was.鈥�
After a significant remodel and expansion that joyfully celebrates the site, the climate and the views, this fantastic 3,000-square-foot waterfront home not only knows it鈥檚 on the Sound 鈥� it brings it inside.
鈥淎ll I really wanted was open and light, and that鈥檚 what we did,鈥� Jill says. 鈥淪ince no one else took advantage of where this is, I guess the theme is sky, with movement to look like water.鈥�
The new point of view, even before you can really see the whole view, starts in the driveway.
鈥淧art of the challenge was developing an entry procession,鈥� Buck says. 鈥淚t originally was hard to find; when you came up, you were just facing garage doors. We turned the garage sideways and developed a cover in the front to help people find the entry.鈥�
Just inside the newly easy entry, 鈥渢he concept was to create volume and bring light in to the middle of the house,鈥� Buck says. Where there once had been a low drop ceiling with fluorescent lights, there鈥檚 now an operable skylight that runs 鈥渢he length of the gallery鈥� at the tippy top of a 19-foot-tall peak.
As part of the wide-open great-room concept, Buck says, the kitchen was created for entertaining (Jill hosts all the family holidays and celebrations), with a custom breakfast bar by Glassworks where guests can keep an eye on all the festivities 鈥� and that stunning view.
A new pantry and laundry room landed conveniently right off the kitchen. There鈥檚 new porcelain tile flooring, and warm, woodsy, dark-stained Douglas fir trim, doors and cabinetry. The former garage area evolved into a third bedroom. You now can peek right through the new dining-area fireplace into the remodelled master bedroom. All along the water-facing wall are sparkling French doors to the sprawling deck, itself protected (but not darkened one bit) by an artful overhang. And everywhere, as treasured as the sight and influence of that once-neglected Puget Sound, are reminders of the legacy Jill protects.
鈥淭he Asian touches are in respect to my mother,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e spent 31/2 years in Japan. She loved clean design and simplicity, and was a talented floral designer and chef. A number of her pieces I kept.鈥�
Jill鈥檚 mother originally selected the chandelier in the master bedroom (it previously hung in the dining area). The liquor bar is a family heirloom, as is a Philippine mahogany chest.
鈥淪cattered throughout the house are things from all the generations,鈥� Jill says. 鈥淚鈥檓 just the caretaker. I paid for the remodeling 鈥� it鈥檚 my taste, but this is the family house.鈥�
