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.
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