Perched on the border between Ballard and Phinney Ridge, the Belyea-Faigin residence works hard. The house is not only the home for artist Gary Faigin, wife Pamela Belyea and their two children, it also contains Gary’s studio and is the site of social and business gatherings centered around the Gage Academy of Art, which Pamela and Gary direct. The original 1936 bungalow is expanded with a new three story, 1,600 SF addition to meet the family’s diverse needs, with each level of the home serving a distinct purpose. The public kitchen and dinning spaces on the middle level serves as both bridge and buffer between Gary’s studio on the lowest level and the new top floor master suite.

The interface between the original structure and the addition is expressed in the glassy gasket between the two buildings. The original beveled siding slides from outside to inside marking the transition between old and new. The new portion is emphatically modern in its use of materials, structure and detail but the gable roof and areas of wood siding make it sympathetic to the character of the old house. The straightforward design direction was set by the need to economize and dictated the use of exposed truss-joist framing, simple forms, aluminum windows and sleek but modest finishes. Vivid paint colors and walls full of art enliven the rooms. This addition has allowed a busy family to work, entertain and live more efficiently and comfortably in a neighborhood they love. And the views aren’t bad either!

LOCATION Seattle, WA
AREA 1,600 SF Expansion
COMPLETED 1997
PHOTOGRAPHY Ray Johnston

RECOGNITION
2010 April, Seattle Magazine