Home Design and Construction in Bellingham and Whatcom County

Colors that Bring a Smile to Her Face

When we asked client Pat Buhl what she loved about her kitchen and garden remodel, her answer was simple: It brings a smile to her face everyday. But it didn’t happen overnight. Pat’s been living in Bellingham since 1970, and when she first moved into this house back in the 1990’s, she almost couldn’t take it.

“My least favorite color in the world is orange. And everywhere we looked it was orange, bright orange countertops, and carpet, orange color all over the house. It was just ugly. The most remodeling we could do at the time was take off all the wallpaper. And so I took wallpaper off and painted everywhere. That was all I could do. ”

The dream over the years though stayed alive. First, she worked with us to do a simple bathroom remodel. Then, another bathroom remodel. And over the course of just about a decade, she finally decided to pull the trigger on a bigger kitchen and garden remodel. In addition to that, she also decided to level her living room with the rest of the house for ease of access, as she plans to age in place in this abode.

“What I really appreciated about A1DesignBuild was the seamless communication I got during the house remodel, and just the focus on getting it right. We sat in the A1 office and reviewed option after option, lights, fixtures, countertops, you name it. On and on until I felt completely comfortable. So it was really a good partnership. .”

One thing that surprised Pat was the ultimate color palette she decided on. Though she knew colors like white and grays were in, she felt like something might be missing. So she sat down with Sharon Petker, one of A1DesignBuild’s premiere designers, and explored all the options.

“One funny story is I went over to their office to pick out cabinet colors, and I really thought I was going to choose white, because I watch enough HGTV to know that white is in. I wanted something as far away from the dark brown when I first moved in. But then Sharon showed me blue cabinets as an option, and they looked beautiful. So we just went with it. But I was a little nervous (laughter). Now it makes me smile everyday, which to me is the most importnt thing.”

Pat has seen her share of change in Bellingham and Whatcom County. When her husband and she first moved here, things were quieter. Not as much traffic. Just a few stoplights. But even with all the changes, she still finds joy in what the Pacific Northwest has to offer. When she first landed here all those many years ago, she knew it was the place she would spend the rest of her life. It all just felt that good.

“I remember my kids growing up in Whatcom County. The beauty of it. All the things to do outdoors, just simple things like going for a walk at Whatcom Falls Park, that sort of thing. Being able to go to the San Juans. Bellingham is just a really good place to raise kids, and now that I have this phase of the remodel done, I can go out and enjoy it.”

Historic Integrity + Contemporary Design

Dave and Teresa Martinelli may have come to Bellingham to be close to their kids, but they stayed for the views. And when they found a historic house on South Hill that overlooked the bay, they knew they’d hit the jackpot. Just one challenge: both the kitchen and the bathroom needed a complete overhaul.

“We talked to a lot of different people, but then we happened to read an article online about A1DesignBuild and how they did a great job blending the historical character of the house with modern upgrades. That’s exactly what we were looking for”

The house was built in 1911, and is a wonderful example of a craftsman. On top of that, Mount Baker’s an hour away and there's practically a million hikes close by, all boxes that needed be checked before they made the commitment to move.

“We stumbled on the South Hill neighborhood and that’s when it all kind of clicked. It’s beautiful.”

Dave and Theresa immediately began working with Sharon Petker, who led the A1 design team for this project. Together, they began dialing in on the budget, the timeline, and all the decisions that needed to be made for success. Things as seemingly insignificant as the number of gang boxes were all defined beforehand.

They also embarked on what’s called a ‘Marathon Day’, where all the subcontractors came in, toured the house, and dialed in on the scope of the remodel. This level of planning was indispensable to make sure things were done right the first time.

“A1 always communicated with us, and kept us in the loop, which was exactly what we wanted. Projects of this size can easily go off track, but we always knew what was happening and when.”

One thing always near the top of the priority list was value. Teresa and Dave were interested in the making the right choices to maintain the integrity of the classic home, while at the same modernizing the interior design and appliances. In all cases, decisions needed to match the soul of a house that had been around for more than a century.

As for the Martinelli’s favorite hike in Whatcom County? That’s truly a difficult question. Maybe Table or Sauk Mountain? Maybe the trail you’re lucky enough to be on?

“We’re very happy with the end result, very happy. I mean, it is really top-notch construction quality. But hopefully we don’t have to do any more construction for a while. (Laughter)”

Deliciously Vintage

Retired from a life of moving around the world as medical professionals in the military, Denise and Bill Salisbury were ready to settle in Bellingham. They knew just the kind of house they wanted: old, solid Craftsman with character intact — or restorable within their means. Also: not too big, within walking distance to downtown. It took more than a year, but they found it, a 1916 two-bedroom bungalow. It needed major kitchen and bath work but the original plan, design and details were intact.

“It was extremely important to us to honor the original design. We wanted to modernize in ways that kept the character intact. The devil would definitely be in the details and we knew we had to have a contractor who shared our finicky desire for detail.” 

After living in the house about six months, the couple knew exactly what they wanted — or thought they did. Instead, spending time on A1’s waiting list turned out to be “very valuable, as was the time spent in design.” A1 worked very closely with the couple to achieve their vision, which rested on Denise’s love of the warmth and detail of the Arts and Crafts style, like the home she grew up in.

That detail is evident in every aspect of the project, from hinges, drawer pulls and light switches to tile shapes and patterns — even to the choice of their refrigerator.

The couple opted to install below-counter refrigerator drawers, rather than put a full-size unit in a kitchen that was built before such appliances existed — and thus had no natural home.

Denise spent hours determining the color palette and finding a design for the custom sink cabinet; Bill stripped and refinished all re-usable vent covers; new, divided-light bathroom windows replicate the original wood-framed windows in the kitchen; crown and base molding, window and door trim all match original, as do the new floors in the kitchen.

“Whittling down what we had to have, what we wanted to have, and what we could afford was, of course, key. That took far longer than we anticipated. What we really appreciated is that A1 never gave up on us. They listened, they worked with us, they were determined to help us find the design we could afford that would make us LOVE living in our ‘new’ old home.”

Which they do, enjoying the best of modern convenience, with the character of early 20th century, just a short walk from downtown.

There are few things Linda and Chris Benafel like more than traveling. But the key to that is having a great home base, one that satisfies their love of the outdoors while also evolving with them as they grew older. So when they retired and discovered a home for sale off Chuckanut back in 2012, they knew they had to make it happen.

“I came up to Seattle for a tech conference, and my husband and my daughter came up with me. We just fell in love with the Pacific Northwest after hiking around Snoqualmie Falls. Just all the trees, I knew I wanted to live up here. ”
- Linda Benafel

Almost immediately after the purchase, they knew they wanted to make some kitchen improvements, which included creating a breakfast nook that allowed more light and outdoor space into their eating area. When they asked around for good builders, A1’s name kept coming up, so they made the call and met with us to discuss the design, cost, and overall timing of the project. Both Linda and Chris had very strong ideas on what they wanted, and we collaborated to make sure their vision could be achieved within budget.

“We were very happy with the work they did, but maybe just as importantly we liked A1’s philosophy of taking care of their people, like paying their workers insurance. Who we hire is important to us, and if they take care of their employees, we're going to get better quality work.”

When the couple decided to embark on a master bathroom remodel, they knew that accessibility had to be a priority. But they also knew they wanted the new space to be aesthetically pleasing, with details like a walk-in shower, recessed lighting, and a place to feature art. So based on the success of their breakfast nook project, the first call was to A1. And another collaboration began.

Chris even went so far as to do exhaustive research on toilets that wouldn’t break the ‘look’ that A1 had come up with for the space. Every detail and material was reviewed and re-reviewed, just to make sure the end result would be perfect.

“I really love the openness of the whole area. And I love the recess lighting that Serena designed. That's my favorite thing. The way it lights up underneath the sink, and around the ceiling. The spotlight on the artwork. It's all very well done.

We wanted a bathroom that was functional and attractive. And that's what we have.”

People have often said that their greatest ideas come in the shower. Now, Chris and Linda can enjoy a beautiful space that grows with their evolving needs, while dreaming about their next great world adventure.

Modern meets traditional in Neptune Beach ADU

When Alecia Modahl, along with her partner Toby, bought their home in Neptune Beach, which is on Lummi property near Ferndale, she didn’t know where her mom Irene would be living, but they moved in “with the intention that we’d figure it out.”

Recovering from a stroke and approaching her 80th year, Irene Modahl knew she had to think about leaving her longtime home in Wenatchee, where she’d raised twin daughters while owning and operating two restaurants in the area. When the idea of joining Alecia on her new property arose, she knew two things:

“I had to have windows. And I had to be on my own.” She didn’t want to share living space with Alecia and Toby. “It’s not right for her, and not right for me.”

The result is a light-filled, 1,238 -square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) attached to Alecia’s garage and built to suit Irene’s needs and tastes — while beating the energy code by 25%.

Whatcom County ADU rules, which are enforced on Lummi property, require design continuity with the property’s primary dwelling (and garage).

So, while the exterior design complements the modern forms and utilitarian materials of Alecia and Toby’s house, inside offers a backdrop suitable for Irene’s traditional style and belongings, many of which reflect her Dutch heritage.

“They all mean something,” she explains, pointing to the Delft pottery in an antique hutch, “Charlie and Mary,” the Dutch figurines in the corner, paintings on the wall, plates on the rail that A1 designed into the living room at her request.

Irene emigrated to Calgary from Holland with her parents and six siblings at age 17. At the time, she was a Dutch junior champion gymnast, and she went on to become a Western Canadian champion in the early 1960s.

All those gymnastics have led to some mobility challenges later in life, which the design addresses with an open, stair-free floor plan that is easy to navigate, as well as features like a zero-threshold shower and custom tub design that allows easy access and use. While she doesn’t have the pool or the view of her cherry orchards she treasured in Wenatchee, Irene does have windows, peekaboo views to the sound and most importantly: Alecia.

“I couldn’t have asked for better girls.”

Net Zero on Cable Street

In 1997, Mark Wheatley moved into a brand-new house near Lake Whatcom. Over the 20 or so years he lived there with his family, he dealt with expensive repairs that included water damage— thanks to a complex roof design and poor waterproofing— moss on the north-facing roof, and rats in the crawl space, where uninsulated pipes contributed to inefficient energy use.

“All the repairs for that house drove decisions for this one.” 

“This one” is a 1,448-square-foot structure built with 12-inch-thick Faswall blocks on an insulated concrete slab, wrapped like a baby in a rainstorm, covered by a simple, south-facing-only shed roof, and then clad in pigmented stucco (no painting required).

It’s equipped with triple-paned windows, solar panels, two heat pumps, two, 350-gallon cisterns to collect rainwater, and a heat recovery and air filtration system.

Retired from his tech career and recently off his second South American Peace Corps tour (the first, to Honduras, was in the early 1980s) Wheatley and his wife Yudis, whom he met in Panama during the design of the house, don’t plan to move again.

Their home is designed to allow first-floor living with integrated elements like grab bars and ample circulation space, and an upstairs suite for a caregiver, should one become necessary. For now, it’s the primary bedroom.

Nor will the Wheatleys undertake many, if any, repairs —or pay many, if any, energy bills. Mark, a self-described technology geek, is monitoring daily generation of solar energy.

“So far, our electric bill is only the meter rental fee, under $8 per month. The water bill is well under the minimum usage billing.”

Two bedrooms, two baths, an office and open kitchen, dining and living space complete the picture of what Yudis called a “modern, simple and sophisticated” house filled with furniture Wheatley designed and built “from my head and some pictures from Sunset,” artwork from his travels and lots of very clean, quiet and comfortable air.

“We wanted home to be our place to retreat.”

She had a house. He lived in an apartment. When married, they wanted to live in an “ours” place. They also had a pretty good idea of what they wanted to create: a place that felt like a cabin and lived like a house that would serve them the rest of their lives.

“Our plan is that this is our last home. We wanted it to support our dreams and needs as we unfold into our elder years.”

That meant opting for town over county – the closer to neighbors and services — despite the draw of rural life. Rick and Cindi, A1’s former owners, spent their lives up to that point as activists and small-business owners, she the designer, he the builder, devoted to environmental and social causes close to home. Naturally, the house would use as few new resources as possible, minimize energy use and maintenance, and maximize light, reclaimed materials and local products.

And so it does, in about 1,300 square feet of cozy on a wooded, in-city lot, A1’s retired owners Rick and Cindi plan trips, tend a small garden, berries and fruit trees, make art, and watch the wildlife scurry by from a covered patio, or through generous, high quality windows in every room.

Here are the key sustainability strategies we employed:

• Lifetime-warranty composition roofing

• Unvented, conditioned crawlspace

• Blown-in cellulose insulation

• ICF exterior walls

• Pre-colored exterior stucco over ICF

• On-demand water heater

• The subfloor doubles as the finish flooring.

• No baseboard trim

• FSC-certified framing and sheathing lumber

• Salvaged lumber from Duluth Lumber

• Used building materials from the RE Store

• Low-VOC paints

• Xeriscaping, permaculture principles and rain garden

“We designed the home to maximize our relationship with the land, to support our long-term relationship, for future grand­children who will come for visits; for Cindi's love for puttering around out-of-doors; for assurance that we have done what we could to minimize our footprint on the earth.”

High Performance Exterior Retrofit

Comfort and simplicity in 330 square feet

Lori Ramsay may never again have to fold a fitted sheet — a delightful surprise of her new, simplified life.

Reducing your living space by 90% has a way of focusing priorities. If you’re downsizing you too may decide that one set of sheets and a nearby washer is all you need: sheets off, sheets washed, sheets on. No folding.

Thinking about retirement, Lori wanted to reduce living costs — including the mental and ecological costs of managing possessions. She started looking for a smaller place to buy and soon realized she wouldn’t be saving much even if she reduced square footage. At the same time, her daughter and son-in-law were finding that they were priced out of Whatcom County’s housing market.

Which is how Lori, a systems analyst at Peace Health, became part of a national trend toward inter-generational living, in this case via what’s officially known as an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), and more familiarly labeled a mother-in-law apartment.

Call it what you want, what Lori is happy to have is 330 square feet of efficient living with all the comfort she needs and very little of the maintenance, energy and material consumption she doesn’t. A main living area encompassing kitchen, office and lounging space, along with a bedroom and bath fits her simplified lifestyle, her introverted nature — and her eighty-pound golden retriever Samara, who, by the way, “has no sense of personal space.”

The apartment is located in what was the third bay of her garage. Lori now claims one remaining bay for her car, daughter and son-in-law have the other. Laundry is shared, as are all utilities.

She came to A1 after years of driving by the reader board.

“I chose A1 because they manage the entire process, from design all the way through the last detail of construction. I didn’t want to be the go-between.”

Lori’s new space reflects her love of the tropics with colors she chose herself after a lifetime of neutrals.

“I would have been afraid to use such bold bright colors in a larger space, but it’s my favorite part! I also love the compact functionality. Everything has a place.”

Three key elements make a space this small work.

Storage The design incorporates two closets, as well as a floor-to-ceiling pantry, three shelved niches and deep windowsills.

Light, which lends a feeling of spaciousness. The house faces west and gets good light through a window and a frosted-glass front door, as well as a south facing window over the kitchen sink. Cabinets are white, flooring is light colored, the bedroom borrows light from the bathroom through frosted glass.

Carefully scaled, multipurpose furniture. Lori took on this latter task with enthusiasm, putting her measuring tape and scissors to work making cardboard cutouts of furniture ideas and arrangements before purchasing

“[Designer] Sharon made the work of designing fun and exciting. And, as with all construction projects, questions arise about how to handle something. Every time [Project Manager] Tyson came to me with a situation, he also came with one or two ideas for how to address it.” 

“It’s a small house so every square foot counts.”

When they bought it in 2012, Julie Creager and Jim Scarborough’s Columbia-area cottage met the couple’s desire for a place in a close-knit neighborhood filled with historic homes near parks, downtown and community businesses. At just about 900 square feet of usable area, the 1920 house is small, but its size was less of a challenge than its configuration: Life has changed in 100 years, and after a few years in the house, they knew the house needed change too.  

The square-shaped bathroom was “tiny and unruly” with awkward access. The kitchen was outdated, and the layout was “not very workable.” It included a dining area, but the space was cramped and didn’t get much use.

With a design that appropriates two and a half square feet from a laundry room that wasn’t using it, new walls and the relocation of two doorways, the couple now has a functional bathroom and kitchen that respects the home’s vintage, reflects their traditional tastes and modern lifestyle.

Julie and Jim, both of whom both of whom work in Whatcom County public schools, came into the project knowing they wanted to change the layout of their space. But the details about colors and faucets and so on quickly became overwhelming.

“These details make such a difference in the final outcome, but they were not what we wanted to deal with. Sharon recognized that and did a great job narrowing our choices.”

The design includes a center island that functions as both counter and table, while the kitchen’s large window is now complemented by a bench seat with storage. A beloved pot rack found a home in a new niche that saves on cabinet space without disrupting sightlines or head space.

“I’m in love with the bench seat. Especially on rainy days I love to sit there with my coffee and just look out. I sit there at least once a day, even on nice days.”

Energy efficiency was improved by replacing an ancient furnace with a ducted heat pump, new, well-sealed ducts and a tankless water heater. The project took about four months to complete, and the couple lived in the house during construction.

[Project manager] “Thad was amazing to work with; he’s a great communicator, very straightforward and informative. The team did extra cleanup before they left every day and kept our space as livable as possible.”

“I wanted a better tub. And a sauna.”

A better tub, and a sauna. Everyone has priorities, and these are two we’d be hard pressed to argue with. Other keys to Margarette Grant’s happiness in her new home? Lots of light, energy efficiency, original charm, a porch big enough for two.

“I wanted to keep the character, and I wanted a house that was put together and didn't require a lot of maintenance. And I wanted to minimize my impact on the environment.”

Located near Drayton Harbor, the home began life in 1947 as a beach cottage. Margarette purchased it in 2007 as a getaway and rental. When she decided to make it her year-round residence in 2015, she called A1.

“I liked the design/build aspect of A1 — I appreciated that they would take the process from beginning to end.”

Together, we created a vision of a cozy, light-filled sanctuary that unites Margarette’s eclectic style with the informal character of beach side living. While the basic plan of the home remained intact, a few key moves made space for the sauna (10-foot bump out in the rear of the house), improved function and flow (moved a bedroom entry) and brought in more light (opened kitchen to living room, added three windows and two solatubes).

After that, it was all a matter of out with the old, in with the new:

• Windows, doors, wall insulation, drywall, paint

• Kitchen cabinets and countertop

• Appliances, fixtures and floors (except for salvageable fir in guestroom)

• Electric on-demand water heater

• Wood stove

• Exterior siding, trim, front porch, roof

“A1 showed me the value of communication on projects like this — they had a really good way to make me part of the process.”

$55. That was the amount of Margarette’s biggest electric bill, after a year at her new address. Recently, she joined a work party group. Neighbors help each other out with household chores, using many hands to making light — and social — work. She had to think hard to come up with anything, although once her native landscape takes root, she expects there will be some upkeep.

In the meantime, this long time Nordic skier who took up alpine skiing more recently — “I’m a super senior!” — can spend more time this winter in the mountains. After which, that tub and sauna is going to feel just great.