Seattle Chezerbey Remodel

The Chezerbey remodel is in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. The small, 1910 fixer-upper was completely gutted and renovated over the course of many years. By re-configuring the layout of the home and taking advantage of an unfinished attic and partial basement, the home grew without actually expanding. It went from a 770 SF 1-bedroom, 1-bath to a 1300 SF 3-bedroom, 2-bath (plus loft!). Working with the existing footprint provided opportunities for creative solutions for living well in a small home.

In addition to experimenting with layout and volumes, we also incorporated as many sustainable features as we could. We started with a holistic approach, focusing primarily on keeping the house small. This reduces the amount of energy and materials needed. Beyond that, all of the windows and doors were replaced and insulation was added. Efficient mechanical systems and non-toxic materials were also installed. On hot days, a fan in the stairwell pulls cool air up from the basement and exhausts warm air out through the roof window. Skylights and reflective white surfaces eliminate the need for artificial lighting, even on the cloudiest of Seattle days.

On the exterior, we kept the simple 1910 shape while adding a subtle modern touch. We did this with paint color, a new front stoop and professionally designed landscaping. We restored the original cedar siding and an old sidewalk from the backyard was saw cut and reused as pavers. Nearly 12 years later, we now have three small children and run our own design firm, Studio Zerbey, from our home office! We find that we’re always rethinking and fine-tuning how to make our home and office work for us.

See more of our house in Sunset, Fine Homebuilding, and Houzz!

Design by: Studio Zerbey Architecture + Interiors