Sammamish Neo-Colonial
When indoor-outdoor connection led the way.
Location Hidden Ridge, Sammamish, WA
Size 3,450 sq-ft
Year built 1994, remodeled 2024
This Sammamish home sits quietly within nearly an acre of pristine forest, and from the beginning, my desire was to strengthen the connection between indoors and outdoors.
To that end, we added a new patio door to the side yard (which had its own hiking trail but was previously hard to access) and upgraded an existing one so all 9 feet of its width fully opens to the backyard.
We also installed windows with fewer grilles and slimmer frames, and added transom windows above exterior doors to reduce any separation the occupants might feel to the views outside.
These changes resulted in a house that feels open, bright, and actively engages in its setting.
Inside, the design unified around a single guiding theme: forest and nature. This influence appears most clearly in the lighting fixtures, where botanical forms repeat throughout the home.
Lights (from top left):
Ginkgo leaves, ceramic and metal
Lotus flower, bamboo and wicker
Ginkgo leaves, metal
Flower, metal
Birds’ nest, bamboo
Peony flower, acrylic
In terms of color, deep greens feature in various places. Paint colors like Benjamin Moore’s Topsoil and Ashwood Moss mirror the hues visible just outside the windows, while two statement wallpapers continue the same design language through their botanical motifs.
Respecting the home’s colonial architecture was essential to me, while also modernizing the home. The concept of “material honesty” was used where fixtures throughout the house are chosen to be made from traditional materials such as metal, ceramic, stone, or wood (not plastic or synthetics).
In the primary bathroom, a cast iron claw-foot bathtub is both a functional centerpiece and a nod to period design.
The dining room wallpaper draws from era-inspired artwork, grounding the space in history while still feeling fresh and intentional.
In the family room, we installed a fretwork wood feature wall to add depth and the intricacy of craftsmanship where we envision the family will gather.
Outdoors, the design continues to tie together the structure, architecture, and nature. The backyard is paved in a diamond grid pattern using large stone pavers, creating rhythm and order without overpowering the forest beyond.
Throughout the home, every decision was made to honor both the architecture and the environment, allowing this house to feel timeless, connected, and quietly luxurious.
