Architects: Best Practice Architecture
Lot Area: 2200 ft²
Area: Home GSF: 1695 ft²; Office: 50 ft²
Year: 2022
Photography: Rafael Soldi
Contractor: Kable Design Build
Collaborators: Cambium, Inc; Lesley Petty Studio
Scope: Micro Addition (30 ft²), Remodel of Main Floor and Basement, New Rear Deck, Sunken Office Shed, Landscape Features
Location: Phinney Ridge/Woodland Park, Seattle, Washington
Country: United States
Phinney Mini residential renovation project by Best Practice Architecture in Seattle has adapted a compact 1907 cottage to meet contemporary family needs through calibrated spatial updates and landscape integration. Completed in 2022, the project introduced a minimal rear addition of 30 ft², enabling a complete reconfiguration of the main floor to accommodate a revised kitchen, a shared bathroom with a traditional Japanese ofuro, and additional storage and play areas. A recessed 50 ft² office shed, developed during construction in response to permanent remote work, was added to the backyard, featuring grade-level windows and a green roof for passive cooling and water retention. The intervention reinforced interior-exterior continuity, retained the home’s original front elevation, and embedded functional upgrades into the tight urban lot without compromising the cottage’s architectural identity.
Best Practice Architecture led the transformation of a 1907 farm cottage in Seattle’s Phinney Ridge neighborhood, modernizing the residence for a young family while maintaining its historic qualities. The renovation focused on enhancing functionality within the compact footprint, integrating new elements with care and minimal disruption to the home’s existing character.
Above all, design should help people live, work, and move through spaces intuitively.
Interview with Ian Butcher, Kailin Gregga, Kip Katich of Best Practice Architecture
The house, distinguished by its gambrel roof and mature garden setting, retains its original facade. The front porch was reconstructed to improve its connection to the landscape, and the large front picture window was preserved as a visual focal point anchoring the home’s familiar street presence.
A 30 ft² micro-addition at the rear enabled a complete internal reconfiguration. The updated main floor introduced a modernized kitchen, reorganized circulation, and expanded areas for family use, including flexible spaces for play, guests, utility, and storage. Improved access to the backyard was achieved through reoriented circulation paths and openings.
The home’s only bathroom was redesigned for functional clarity. The toilet and a small sink were placed in a separate compartment, while a family bathroom was created with a custom vanity, walk-in shower, and a traditional Japanese soaking tub (ofuro). Large accordion doors open the bathroom to the adjacent rear deck, allowing for an immersive indoor-outdoor bathing experience.
Midway through the project, the shift to permanent remote work led to the addition of a 50 ft² sunken office shed. Embedded in the rear yard, the structure was designed with windows aligned to ground level, creating a quiet, green workspace visually tied to the surrounding garden. The planted roof provides thermal insulation and assists with onsite stormwater control.
The design preserved the home’s scale and domestic atmosphere, using targeted interventions to enhance daily living. Each addition—from the compact rear extension to the workspace—was conceived to reinforce spatial efficiency while deepening the relationship between interior life and the surrounding urban landscape.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Phinney Ridge/Woodland Park, Seattle, Washington, United States
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
