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MOODY BLUES
A SEATTLE-BASED HOME-SUITE-HOME
I was asked to develop a concept interior design for a young married couple from Vancouver. The couple needed a home away from home for when the couple came to visit family in the area. They found the perfect one-bedroom suite on the 34th floor of one of Seattle's downtown highrises.
The goal was to design a comfortable, luxurious, and easy living space. It needed to have that feeling of coziness associated with being home. Plus, in Seattle, which is known for its rain, it is not uncommon that your day's plans should get spoiled, and all you want to do is be home curled up on the sofa while making a home-cooked meal.
The main living space is an open concept living, dining, and kitchen area. I designed a large living kitchen and dining room for the couple so that they would have the ability to have the entire family over. An island in the center anchors the space and allows everyone a place to hover. The living room is tucked just off to the size, raised up by a step, and enclosed by a bookcase portal. This was to give that space a sense of enclosure within the openness. Space is always more intimate if it is a bit smaller. We also designed a custom TV enclosure that opens and closes so the couple does not need to see the TV when it is not being used. The suite also includes an outdoor patio where the couple can enjoy relaxing in swings taking in the scenic views.
"THE GOAL WAS TO DESIGN A COMFORTABLE, LUXURIOUS, AND EASY LIVING SPACE. IT NEEDED TO HAVE THAT FEELING OF COZINESS ASSOCIATED WITH BEING HOME."
The state's natural beauty inspired the palette; the sky, mountains & water, a celebrated vernacular recognizing lumbar and wood as a primary palette, and raw brick veneer inspired by Pioneer Square. The blue used throughout emulated the shades of blue picked up in the views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound to the west. We chose tribal patterns for the rugs as an homage to the natives who lived in Seattle long before it was a dense city and gave it its namesake. Being so far north on the continent, I think there is a bit of a kinship to the Scandinavian mentality, so we turned to the principles of hygge; soft fuzzy materials, warm woods, and reflective materials that would bounce around light on darker dreary days.
"THE LIGHTING GIVES THE ROOM THAT SENSE OF INTIMACY -OF ROMANCE. AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED, A ROMANTIC BEDROOM."
In the bedroom, we went with blues as our neutral. The idea was to create an analogous color scheme with the sky. In this room, we chose a much richer and darker blue for the walls, with a wall covering that emulated this idea of sea and sky, both visible on the horizon. The lighting here had to be moody and relaxing, so we chose downlight scones for the bedside and a soft glowy orb for the shelf next to the seating area - just enough like to enjoy a cup of tea and book. The lighting gives the room that sense of intimacy -of romance. And that's what we wanted, a romantic bedroom. A home away from home for a couple can still be a romantic getaway, and I felt this bedroom had a sensuous softness about it that invites you in.
This suite is a home-away-from-home, cozy and comfortable from when you arise. Like Vancouver is the sister city to Seattle, this home-suite-home is the sister home to the couple's Vancouver residence.
In terms of all the things, you need to feel at home, this Seattle-based home suite home did become the perfect getaway spot. • S.
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