Burien Nordic
Views of Boeing field inspired a Nordic design
Location Burien, WA
Size 2,240 sqft
Year built 1957, remodeled 2025
This ranch-style home, intended as a luxury rental, came with sweeping territorial views of the valley and Boeing Field, where Boeing 737s are assembled. We chose a Nordic / Scandinavian design approach to maximize views, space, and natural light. The style’s clean lines and pale color palette align naturally with ranch architecture, which emerged in the post-WWII era with an emphasis on efficiency, functionality, and practical floor plans.
The galley-style kitchen was reworked into an open floor plan by removing the walls between the kitchen and dining room. This required the installation of a new structural beam to support the ceiling joists, which we chose to leave exposed for its visual alignment with the overall design.
To reflect the Nordic design, we installed light blonde wood flooring, handrails, vanities, and kitchen cabinetry. A structural beam was intentionally left exposed. The monochromatic palette is further reinforced with matte black fixtures in both the bathrooms and kitchen.
To celebrate the home’s aviation connection, the kitchen island pendants and the dining space chandelier were selected for their visual resemblance to airplane components.
The house originally lacked a primary suite. To address this, two main-floor bedrooms were combined to create a spacious primary bedroom, and the space between it and a large bathroom was enclosed to form a luxurious primary suite on the upper level which offers excellent views and privacy.
The entire lower level was unfinished, allowing us to create a highly functional layout. This addition includes three new bedrooms (one with an en suite bathroom), a flex space, a laundry area, and an additional family gathering space with direct access to the backyard.
