In Seattle’s picturesque Mt. Baker neighborhood, a humble 1950s rental once known affectionately as the “Slanty Shanty” has been reborn. Dubbed Lil Shingle, the home is the result of a deeply personal collaboration between a retired mother, her three creatively gifted daughters, and the innovative team at Best Practice Architecture. The project began as a quest to create a warm, age-in-place haven that could serve as a enduring multigenerational home base, fostering family connections while embracing its unique lakeside context.
The existing structure, a two-unit rental, presented the perfect bones for this vision, with one apartment above and a walk-out basement below. However, the project quickly evolved from a simple renovation into a near-total rebuild. Once construction was underway, the team discovered that the wall, floor, and roof structures were failing, leaving only the original basement foundation walls to be salvaged. Despite this, the decision was made to honor the spirit of the original home, preserving its footprint, roof pitch, and most window openings to maintain a tangible link to its past.
The most transformative strategic layout change involved relocating the interior staircase. By rotating it 90 degrees and shifting it to the southern end of the house, Best Practice Architecture unlocked the home’s core. This single move opened up the kitchen, living, and dining areas, creating a fluid open-plan living space. A new vaulted ceiling, punctuated by a series of skylights, floods the interior with natural light, enhancing the sense of volume and airiness. A striking green glazed brick fireplace stretches upward, serving as a bold visual anchor that draws the eye towards the sky.
Seamless indoor-outdoor connection is a defining feature of the main level. Large sliding glass doors open from the living area onto a deck, framing views of Lake Washington and the Cascade Mountains and effectively extending the living space outdoors. The functional U-shaped kitchen with natural stone countertops ensures the cook remains part of the conversation. Personal artistic touches abound, including custom stained glass windows designed by the owner’s youngest daughter, which cast vibrant, playful shadows and add a layer of unique family narrative to the dining and powder rooms.
Downstairs, the home’s multigenerational potential is fully realized in a self-contained accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Complete with a cozy living room, two bedrooms, a kitchenette, and a full bathroom, the lower level offers flexibility for family visits or potential rental income. While connected internally by the new staircase, it also has a separate entrance, ensuring privacy and independence. This thoughtful configuration allows the home to adapt to changing family needs over time, a cornerstone of its age-in-place design.
The exterior tells its own story of renewal, clad in friendly scalloped cedar shingles that give the home its name. Stained a semi-opaque white, the wood’s texture remains visible, creating a soft, welcoming expression. The landscaping, designed by Cambium Landscape, features native plants, stone patios, and discreetly fenced areas that enhance privacy and blend the structure gently into its site. More than just a house, Lil Shingle is a testament to thoughtful renovation and family collaboration, a home that celebrates its history while boldly stepping into a new chapter of lifelong memories and togetherness.