(Welcome again to Danielle, one of the finalists in our Blogger search. She's writing from Seattle. Comment away!)
Name: Danielle and Josh
Location: Seattle, WA
Size: 550 sq. ft.
Years lived in: 2
I live in the top floor of a cottage nestled in grove of bamboo and evergreen trees, one of a group of four built in 1917. The cottages have an open, beach-y summer house feel, and have been lovingly remodeled by my landlord Paul, the owner of the cottages for the last 55 years and a resident of one of the units...
Do you have an idea for a house tour? Let us know! tips (at) sf (dot) apartmenttherapy (dot) com
...Apparently, before the Ballard locks were built Lake Washington was about 10 feet higher, bringing the edge of the lake up to the Burke Gilman bike trail (formerly a bed for train tracks) that runs along the edge of the grounds, and explaining the dock like decks accompanying each unit. Paths between the cottages have been landscaped in Japanese temple style, complete with stone lanterns, torii gates, pebble gardens and stone walkways. The bamboo effectively blocks most sound and sights from outside the grove�you would never know that University of Washington�s Greek Row is right behind us.
My style: Eclectic, California modern
The inspiration for my home: The architecture of the house itself.
Favorite element: The skylights and bamboo outside.
Biggest challenge in designing my home: There is not a single closed cabinet. My every possession is exposed for the world to see.
What friends say about my home: "This has got to be the coolest apartment in Seattle."
Biggest embarrassment in my home: The hardwood floors always look dirty, especially in the kitchen.
Proudest DIY: The shoe storage in my front entryway. The plastic containers are from Ikea.
Biggest indulgence with respect to my home: The couch, but now I can't wait to replace it because the leather overshadows my much cooler leather chairs.
Best advice given or received: To get rid of things. There is nearly nothing in my place that I don't use on a daily basis.
Dream source for stuff: DWR!
Resources: Antique stores, West Elm, yard sales and Ikea.
Thanks, Danielle & Josh!
-danielle
Idyllic! Thanks for letting us see this! I want to live there right now, please!
My dream house -- quirky, small, and in Seattle.
view rattus's profile
Cool place!
I like how you have furnished it and it looks homey and comfortable, but with a modern sensibility to it.
And to think you are not too far from Greek row in such a place surprises me, but then again, Seattle is full of these fun little places all over if you look hard enough for them.
view ciddyguy's profile
I love it. Very homey. I really like the large framed picture in the living room.
Where did you get the flower light in your bedroom? It's fantastic!
view hja's profile
love it! small, cool, quirky. love that you've done so well with all the open shelving... a challenge, i'm sure. to live in a thicket of bamboo would be so lovely, but alas i'm in brooklyn, which has it's own loveliness :)
view k in ditmas's profile
It's beautiful. I imagine there is quite a nice neighborhood feel to the cottages. It has to bring out the best in people to live in such idyllic digs.
view mgb's profile
Wow....I love the feel of this place!!!
view yannickmtl's profile
where did you get the b&w pillows on your chairs? love them!
view merry's profile
The Ikea haters should study this place. The products have been used beautifully, I think - mixed in with vintage and higher-end stuff, and solving real problems.
view wannabe minimalist's profile
What a cozy place... just love it. Yes, please do tell where
you got the light branchy lamp in the bedroom.
view schnauzer's profile
I love this space...how could anyone not be happy living here? I think if I lived here I would never want to leave.
view JyoJyo's profile
I really like that the space isn't overly 'done'. People with stuff actually live here and do a stylish job of it. I would kill for all that bamboo outside the bedroom window, the patio and the beautiful light. Thanks!
view laure's profile
I love your home (and rooting for you Seattle girls!), and totally agree with the Ikea done right comment. Where's your favorite place to shop for the home in Seattle?
view Kelly's profile
I thought the comments were supposed to be about writing style.
view Careen's profile
Gorgeous. My fantasy home, I think.
view Juliet's profile
Thanks everyone for the kind comments! Given the nature of the try-outs, I was trying to stay out of the commenting. But since there have been a couple of specific questions, I'm more than happy to take the opportunity to answer them.
The flower light: this was a gift from Josh's mom, and she tells me she got them from a gift shop on second avenue, between James and Cherry. Urban Outfitters seems to be the only U.S.-based online retailer, but they're out of stock:
Graham and Green appears to have the branches in stock, but they're U.K. based:
The pillows: these are Thomas Paul from Velocity Art and Design, whose retail outlet is steps from my office but has a fabulous and well-known web store: http://www.velocityartanddesign.com/textiles.html
Favorite place to shop: Collective, a vintage-modern store in the Ballard neighborhood, is a fantastic source: . Other than that, the antique mall circuit is well-frequented by me.
Thanks again!
view Dani's profile
Wow, that wasn't supposed to come out all bolded. Sorry folks.
view Dani's profile
Wow that yard is awesome. It's pretty much exactly how I'd like my yard to look... but man the weeds are making things difficult! :D
I bet that skylight is super nice to have during the winter :)
view Mat's profile