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Seattle design firm Shed has renovated Alki Lookout, a 1910 home above Alki Beach, replacing its disconnected layout and subdued interiors with a more colorful, practical design. The project includes a dining-room and kitchen swap, increased upstairs storage and a wildlife mural by Seattle artist Stevie Shao.
Seattle design firm Shed has renovated Alki Lookout, a home built in 1910 above Alki Beach, giving the 2,706-square-foot residence a more colorful interior, a reworked kitchen and dining layout, and a wildlife mural on its exterior. The project updates the house while retaining much of its existing structure, according to the report by Design Milk.
The house began as a log cabin and had been remodeled twice before Shed’s work. Despite its views of Puget Sound, Bainbridge Island and the Olympic Mountains, the interior lacked a unified character, according to Shed principal Prentis Hale. The team used targeted architectural changes and a more expressive mix of color, tile and wood rather than undertaking a wholesale rebuild.
A central change was to swap the kitchen and dining areas. The former dining room sat in a circulation area and was separated from the views. The new arrangement puts a built-in banquette by a window, improves movement between the kitchen, dining and living spaces, and adds kitchen storage. Vertical-grain fir cabinetry is paired with pink concrete countertops and a pink tile backsplash.
A tiled partition, finished in Alex Proba’s Moroccan Mix tile for Concrete Collaborative, establishes colors that recur in other rooms. The living area combines a pink sofa and custom fir screens with white oak flooring and built-in window seating. In the guest bathroom, blue-and-white tile and underwater-themed wallpaper extend the project’s marine references through abstract patterns rather than conventional coastal décor.
A Better Layout Behind the Color
The renovation shows how layout changes and material choices can work together in an older home. Moving the dining area to the window connects daily family use with the property’s views, while the revised circulation makes the kitchen and living spaces feel more connected. These practical changes are part of the project, not just a backdrop for its vivid finishes.
Storage was another functional concern. Upstairs, Shed reworked the stair area and increased storage to about two and a half times its previous capacity, adding closets, cabinetry and a built-in bed with concealed drawers. That improvement may matter to readers interested in renovation because it illustrates how a constrained existing structure can be adapted without losing its original footprint.
The exterior mural also extends the project beyond the house itself. Painted by Seattle artist Stevie Shao, it depicts local wildlife and is visible from the beach below. The artwork gives the home a public-facing element, although the report does not describe any broader public program or community response.
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From Log Cabin to Alki Lookout
Alki Lookout is a century-old residence in Seattle’s Alki neighborhood, overlooking the beach and surrounding waters. Its earlier renovations had not produced a cohesive interior identity, Hale said. The homeowners, who had both lived in Southern California, wanted the home to reflect the warmth and spontaneity of their beach experiences.
Shed described the resulting direction as a “serious surf palette”: saturated colors, lively patterns and natural wood. The designers said the homeowners’ enthusiasm for the Moroccan Mix tile helped set the tone for the wider project. The work was also shaped by a budget that called for retaining much of the existing structure.
The mural came about after construction revealed that the siding needed replacement to address a waterproofing issue. The homeowners chose to use that work as an opportunity to commission Shao. The mural includes whales, osprey and cranes, as well as an axolotl requested by the couple’s daughter.
“The home was perched above Alki Beach with a spectacular view of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains but was fundamentally a home without a strong character.”
— Prentis Hale, principal at Shed
Project Details Not Reported
The source report does not specify when construction was completed, the total renovation cost, or how long the work took. It also gives no detailed account of the waterproofing repairs beyond saying siding replacement was needed to address an issue discovered during construction.
The report describes Shed’s design choices and the homeowners’ aims, but it does not provide independent assessments of the home’s performance after the renovation or feedback from neighbors and beach visitors about the mural. No further construction plans or public events connected to the artwork are reported.
No Further Work Announced
Design Milk’s report presents the renovation as a completed project, but does not give a completion date or announce additional work at the house. The changes described include the interior reconfiguration, storage improvements and Shao’s mural on the replacement siding.
Further details about the project’s budget, construction schedule and long-term performance have not been made public in the source material. For now, the documented development is the completed redesign and its combination of practical updates with a colorful exterior visible from Alki Beach.
Key Questions
Where is Alki Lookout?
Alki Lookout is a Seattle home above Alki Beach, with views of Puget Sound, Bainbridge Island and the Olympic Mountains.
Who renovated the house?
Seattle-based design firm Shed led the renovation. Prentis Hale, a principal at the firm, described the design approach in the report.
What changed in the floor plan?
Shed swapped the kitchen and dining areas, placing a built-in dining banquette beside a window and improving connections among the kitchen, dining and living spaces.
Who made the exterior mural, and what does it show?
Seattle artist Stevie Shao created the mural. It depicts wildlife including whales, osprey and cranes, along with an axolotl requested by the homeowners’ daughter.
How much did the renovation cost?
The report does not state the renovation’s total cost. It says the project budget required Shed to retain much of the existing structure.
Source: design-milk.com
