Wittman Estes made the most of a small Seattle lot with a two-story addition and a big bay window that opens to a refreshed backyard.
When Charlotte and Adam Aljets bought their two-bedroom craftsman in the north end of West Seattle in 2013, they knew it was a bit small—especially since they planned to start a family. But having two stories, close proximity to coffee shops and the library, and a commute by water taxi for Adam was all too good to pass up.
"Our realtor didn’t think the house made sense for us," says Charlotte. "But we were totally drawn to the style of the home and its craftsman features, and we had a vision for making it into something that we could live in long term."
As for the backyard, it was perfectly serviceable for their kids—Elias, Henry, Noel, and Elsie—as toddlers. "But they outgrew its small space as they moved toward activities like whiffle ball and tag," says Charlotte.
Inside the house, the family was becoming equally squeezed, with everyone sharing the solo bathroom upstairs and Adam’s remote work setup tucked into a corner of the bedroom. "We were kind-of bursting at the seams," says Charlotte.
Before: Front Facade
Before: This house in West Seattle was originally built in 1908.
Courtesy of Wittman Estes
Before: Charlotte and Adam Aljets bought the two-bedroom house in 2013 for a little over $400,000, with the intention of expanding it as they started a family.
Courtesy of Wittman Estes
After: Front Facade
"It was important to get that lost character back," says Adam of the front facade. The couple allotted a portion of the budget to Hardie-Lap siding and composite shingles, painted in Oxford White and Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams, to replicate what was there before. They also reinstated the brackets under the eaves.
Photo: Rafael Soldi
See the full story on Dwell.com: Before & After: How a Two-Bedroom Craftsman Grew to Fit a Family of Six for $605K
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