Cycle House was designed by Chadbourne + Doss Architects for an active couple that love both entertaining and hopping on a bike to go for a bicycle ride, but the bike they hop onto could be any one of the 18 they have, so the architects needed to design the home with a room for all 18 of their bicycles without compromising the required areas for entertaining and relaxing.
Cycle House is a 2400sqft home positioned on a narrow lot at the intersection of two major bike routes in the Mount Baker neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. It features a contemporary facade of dark painted fiber cement siding, natural cedar siding and large expanses of glazing.
A composition of contrasting neutrals, the home was designed with the help of the homeowners who provided some unusual inspiration in the form of sensory stimulation. Vials of cool ocean, woody comfort, industrial and balanced quiet/calm where all provided before the design process began so the architects would be fully engaged in the aura the homeowners wanted to experience.
The ground floor of the home is where the garage, entry, bike shop and exercise room/office are located with the bike shop opening out to an enclosed yard for washing, maintenance and repairs.
A stairwell connects all three levels as it winds around a translucent wall that has been illuminated from within.
The main floor is the social zone and has a large open floor plan that consists of the living, dining and kitchen areas as well as more private rooms that hold the guest bedroom, bathroom, pantry, deck and office.
By positioning the social and private zones of the home on the 2nd and 3rd stories, the views of the lake and mountainscapes to the east are expansive and uninterrupted.
The stairwell to the 3rd story stays light and bright not only by the illuminated, translucent wall, but also by a clerestory window and a skylight positioned above it.
The 3rd story is where the master suite, bathroom, laundry facilities and large roof deck are located. Here, as with the rest of the home, the color scheme is a contrasting black and white warmed up with natural cedar.
The roof deck is an extension of the master suite and is accessed through sliding glass doors. Here the architects designed the deck to be a true outdoor room with spaces for entertaining, reading and sleeping beneath the stars.
The bathroom is the only room in the house that changes the overall aesthetic in favor of a more zen atmosphere. Here a wet room contains both the walk-in shower and the tub.
Chadbourne + Doss Architects
Photography by Benjamin Benschneider
