This custom, 1957 mid-century modern in Maple Leaf is some classic neo-Northwest architecture. Plus, it comes with an outdoor sauna and "infinity deck" made of Brazilian walnut, as well as about one-third of an acre of urban green space.
This custom-built, mid-century modern is one story and three bedrooms, with gorgeous vaulted, exposed-beam ceilings and a fireplace. Shoji doors connect the living and dining rooms, while the oversized den comes with built-in shelving.
Listing provided courtesy of Jay Agoado, Windermere RE Mercer Island
Here's a newer West Seattle home that blends traditional architectural elements with modern Northwest living. With four bedrooms (and a bonus den) and walls of windows, the home features sleek quartz and custom tile, as well as two spacious rooftop decks with city, waterfront and mountain views.
The address is 1926 41st Ave. S.W., listed at $1,425,000. See the full listing here.
Listing provided courtesy of Teri Herrera, Windermere Real Estate/East
Listing provided courtesy of Teri Herrera, Windermere Real Estate/East
There's more than one way to build a modern house; you just may not know when you're looking at one.
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Even still, say the word "modern" and you're likely to get people riled up about the new "box houses" popping up during Seattle's latest real estate boom. There are shades of modernism in there, to be sure, but it's also an evolution of a style that's been around for decades.
Modern architecture, at its core, is built on similar characteristics: The simplification of form and elimination of ornament – a direct response to the more ornate styles that came before it.
When it came about in the mid-1900s, it was a fairly significant departure from Western architecture's principles. Though it really started spreading after World War II, modernism recently has been making a comeback. In fact, some argue it's even more popular today than it was in the initial post-WWII days.
And in the Pacific Northwest – and particularly Seattle – modernism definitely has a root. Many of our prominent structures (the SAM, Olympic Sculpture Park, KeyArena and beyond) are classic examples of modern architecture.
"They were really exploring materials that were more specific to the Northwest," Andy Phillips, a local modern architect, said, citing the wood construction you see in a lot of work done by Paul Kirk (who designed the famous Unitarian Universalist Church in Seattle).
"They were looking at the craftsmanship of wood, and working to bring it out more, and less the ornamental design of Victorian architecture."
Though you'll still find modern architecture being built around Seattle these days, it's not always strictly modern (sometimes it's post-modern or contemporary) and they almost certainly don't all look like identical box homes.
Above are three listings that show three of the many possible types of modern homes. Starting at $744,388, these homes show that there's plenty of different brands of modern throughout Seattle, and they don't all have to look alike.
