Set on the shore of Lake Washington in Seattle's Laurelhurst neighborhood, the Laurelhurst Residence by Johnston Architects (JA) is the culmination of a three-phase transformation that began in 2013 as a renovation of the owner's childhood home. Today, it stands as a 6,500-square-foot lakefront residence for a blended family of seven, and a rare example of how sustained design collaboration can reimagine a midcentury house without compromising its character.

The final phase reworks the home's core, stripping the main level and introducing a full second story within an expanded footprint. Oversized Fleetwood windows and doors establish a light-filled throughline, framing a tree-lined entry courtyard on one side and Lake Washington on the other. Above, a new primary suite and private office connect via a glass-lined catwalk that floats over the dining area below, deepening the home's layered spatial experience. The courtyard arrival, shaped by landscape architect Tim Mosier of Cambium Landscape, uses a grove of trees to soften the transition from street to shore and ground the home within its site.

A double-height foyer establishes the project's central dialogue: traditional elements used in contemporary ways. Rift-sawn white oak unifies the interiors across floors, walls, and casework, while marble cascades up the wall behind the kitchen range. In contrast, exposed blackened steel I-beams anchor the grand stair and floating catwalk. Interior designer Christie Grove of Christie Grove Interiors extends that duality throughout, grounding the open living spaces in a restrained palette of taupes, grays, and muted blues that keeps the lake as the focal point, while the library and den shift to deeper slate and charcoal, creating moments of enclosure at the far end of the home.

The project reflects a long-term collaborative relationship. Genevieve Theriault of Johnston Architects and Tim Mosier have both partnered with the owner across multiple projects, reinforcing the home's continuity from one phase to the next.