Home improvement projects can take many forms—sometimes in multiple installments. For many, a kitchen renovation or bathroom upgrade can take the living experience to a whole new level. For others, a significant home extension can dramatically change the dynamics of a floor plan and its homeowners. For a growing family in Seattle, their traditional home within a woodsy neighborhood soon became too small to meet the needs of their everyday lifestyle. But how could it be accomplished without tainting the home’s traditional charm? The key lay in creative design ingenuity, a few strategically placed modern features, bifold glass doors for a peaceful indoor/outdoor experience, and a masterful shed-ovation three years later.
Bifold Glass Doors—From Renovation to Shed-O-Vation
Photo: Best Practice Architecture
Modern Bump-out: Maximizing Space for a Growing Family
For the homeowners, preserving the traditional facade and natural environment of their 2,060-square-foot home was a major priority. At the same time, it was important to connect the indoor living spaces with the outdoors while adapting design-forward solutions—that’s when Best Practice Architecture was called in to provide their expertise. The original vision called for an additional 631 square foot unit, coined by the architect as a “backyard bump-out,” attached to the rear of the house to avoid tainting the classical look up front. The two-story addition includes a new master bedroom with a private balcony on the second floor, a spacious kitchen, a powder room, a large covered outdoor space in the middle, and a multifunctional basement.
Photo: Best Practice Architecture
Extending the Primary Living Areas to the Outdoors with Bifold Glass Doors
Another primary goal of the renovation was to incorporate the outdoor environment within the primary living spaces. The kitchen area was expanded to include a kitchen island and workspace area and integrated with the dining and living rooms to create a spacious, multifunctional open concept living area. The kitchen even includes a unique television pullout shelf for quick access to cooking shows and entertainment when hosting guests. Plenty of windows and a folding glass wall system offer clean, unobstructed views of the verdant backyard as well as plenty of bright, mood-boosting daylight.
A Multifunctional Outdoor Living Space for the Entire Family
The covered deck attaches to the kitchen and dining room areas and offers the ideal outdoor living room for entertaining and lounging al fresco throughout the year in the temperamental climate of Seattle. Situated below the home’s third level, the roof facilitates a shaded, protected outdoor space for year-round functionality regardless of the weather. This outdoor entertainment area seamlessly connects to the home’s interior via a NanaWall folding glass wall system that can be fully opened to maximize space or to flush interiors with fresh air ventilation when needed. Additionally, a staircase was added to facilitate access to the picturesque backyard or multifunctional basement down below. The entire space cantilevers above the lower level, creating a covered entryway to the basement.
The Flexible Design Solution for Indoor/Outdoor Living
The NanaWall SL60 folding glass wall system was the ideal flexible design solution to seamlessly integrate the indoor and outdoor living spaces. This weather-performing system features an insulating aluminum core that protects interiors from the cold, rainy seasons in Seattle and other exterior elements. To maintain its sleek appearance, the NanaWall SL60 features a concealed locking rod that locks into both the head track and sill for optimal security. The four-panel floor-to-ceiling system was specified with a barely-there floor track to facilitate seamless transitions between the indoor and outdoor living spaces. In mere seconds, the dining room transforms into an open-air dining space for the family.
From One Home Improvement to the Other: Shed-O-Vation ADU
A mere three years after their home expansion, Best Practice Architecture was called upon once again to transform the family’s storage garden shed into a multipurpose backyard studio for use during the Covid-19 pandemic. The project, coined by the architect as a “shed-o-vation,” was to serve as a home office and fitness space for the homeowners to accommodate the shift to working and exercising from home. The original 125-square-foot ADU space was expanded by 92 square feet and designed to mimic the conventional architecture of the original home. Inside, the plywood paneling strategically conceals additional shelving for storage and the synthetic rubber floor offers comfortable flooring. Staying true to the family’s original goal to integrate the outdoor environment with their living spaces, the architect specified window-sized NanaWall bifold glass doors to maximize natural light and fresh air ventilation.
The Aluminum Clad System for Every Season
When opened, the folding glass wall system presents serene views of the garden for a calming space to do yoga or meditate before the start of the workday. The NanaWall aluminum clad bifold glass doors exhibit the timeless elegance and strength of wood and the long-lasting durability of aluminum while complementing existing aesthetics. The multi-glazed system offers advanced weather performance and thermal efficiency to maintain a comfortable interior even in the heart of winter. All this while offering the smoothest operation and optimal space flexibility in this space-restricted shed-o-vation.
Photo: Best Practice Architecture
Final Thoughts
Every renovation serves a purpose. Improving a home to meet the needs of a growing family was made possible by design-forward approaches at this Washington traditional home. By strategically incorporating modern elements indoors and towards the rear of the home, the renovation was able to preserve the home’s classical charm while achieving optimal functionality and flexibility. The NanaWall bifold glass doors were the only product that could meet the project requirements of flexibility, weather performance, and function for a family that prioritizes an indoor/outdoor lifestyle—from one renovation to the next.
Discover how other homes have improved their dwellings with NanaWall bifold glass doors in our extensive photo inspiration gallery!