Orchid Studio: A Tiny Backyard Getaway
A Crown Hill couple plants a little dream house in their backyard
By Jennifer McCullum July 15, 2015
This article originally appeared in the August 2015 issue of Seattle magazine.
Fred Huntsman and Barb Roberts’ love for mid-century modern design had them considering leaving their 1929 Crown Hill house for a new place that would embody the clean simplicity and indoor/outdoor integration of the 1960s. “We were starting to get serious about it,” says Huntsman, an outpatient staffing supervisor at Harborview Medical Center. “We had even gone to some open houses.” They hesitated—an expensive kitchen renovation made leaving their home less appealing. Then, the couple’s old, rat-infested garage started leaning to one side and “the lightbulb went off.” They realized they could replace it with their dream project.
A white fiberglass Eiffel chair from Modernica channels the accent seating of the ’60s
Referred to architect Kevin Witt from their kitchen renovation team and reunited with that project’s contractor, Joe Kilbourne, the couple set out on the two-year endeavor of creating a mini mid-century-modern-style abode. Named the Orchid Studio for Roberts’ potted blooms, the tiny house includes a bathroom with a shower, a wall bed for guests, a living room area and small kitchen space.
Follow Us
Your Land, Your Legacy: A New Way to Build at Suncadia
For those who believe that where you live should reflect how you live and how you’ll be remembered Suncadia invites a deeper kind of ownership. It’s an opportunity to create a home that is entirely your own, on some of the most desirable homesites in the Cascades, while benefiting from the ease, support, and long-term…
Settling In, Not Just Moving In: How Seattle Newcomers Find Their Footing
Photos courtesy of Royalty Moving & Storage Seattle. Explore: Seattle Relocation Resources Moving to Seattle is rarely just about transporting belongings from one address to another. For many newcomers, it marks the beginning of learning a city that operates on its own terms, shaped by distinct neighborhoods, changing weather, and an unspoken culture that locals…
Coasting Into Calm
After purchasing a weather-worn, ant-infested cabin on an Oregon beach, a Seattle couple hires a regional team to transform it into a stylish weekend retreat.
When architect Andrew Montgomery first pulled up to his clients’ house in Arch Cape, Oregon, there were logs in the driveway, courtesy of the sizable swells that come with the coast’s king tides. At just 28 feet above sea level and as close as you can get to the water without being on the beach,…
Blueprints for Building Community
After tragedy struck a local restaurateur family, one of their daughters stepped in to complete the design for her brother’s unfinished home.
Although he was just 35 when a heart attack took his life, Khoa Pham’s imprint on Seattle’s international district was such that the city quickly designated April 21 as a memorial day in his honor. With his rescue pitbull, Pinky, by his side, Pham cut a colorful figure through Little Saigon and became well known…