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photo of City Apartment
Photo: Benjamin Benschneider

City Apartment

Seattle, Washington

City Apartment

Seattle, Washington

  • Design Principal

    Jim Olson

Located in downtown Seattle, this duplex apartment looks out to a forest of high-rises. These dramatic vistas are complemented by the tactile and serene interiors. The owners wanted to retain the easy comfort of the big suburban house they lived in before downsizing to a city apartment. Olson responded to this request by giving them clean modern lines and a warm wood palette that instills tranquility, visually expands the space, and provides an appropriate setting for a collection of contemporary paintings and sculptures. Privacy and light are controlled by moving panels of translucent glass that are suspended from a ceiling track. Interior designer Holly McKinley designed furniture pieces that meld with the architecture.

The apartment is bisected by a niche-filled partition of Anigre wood that provides a display wall for small sculptures and art objects while animating the space around. The niches are lit from translucent plexi panels, which produce a soft glow. Kitchen and family room open to one another and are separated by a hearth. Public and service spaces are located on the main level, and upstairs are private rooms, which include the master suite and guest suite, along with a media room that is soundproofed so as not to disturb the neighbors.

Team

  • Design Principal

    Jim Olson

  • Staff

    Olivier Landa
    Michael Wright

Publications

2010

Hayes, Linda. “Tall Order.” Luxe Interiors + Design: Pacific Northwest Edition, Winter 2010, 176-187. Print.