BALLARD PRIMARY SUITE SECOND STORY ADDITION

This second-story addition transformed a dark, cramped attic bedroom into a bright and stylish primary suite, updating a 1920s Ballard home while retaining its Craftsman charm. Under a tight deadline with our clients’ first child on the way, the focus was on creating a well-organized retreat for new parents by maximizing space, integrating thoughtful storage solutions, and enhancing natural light. In lieu of a second story addition, shed dormers were installed on the east and west sides to increase square footage, and structural loads were transferred from the attic to the basement.

The design incorporated a dramatic step-up bed area, custom-built drawers and cabinets, and a pull-out shoe cabinet in the stair bulkhead, all adding both function and style. The vaulted ceiling, achieved through reframing the roof’s ridge structure, lightens the space and creates a striking feature. The attached bathroom, designed in the Craftsman style, features a bright layout with Terrazzo countertops, white subway tile, and custom cabinetry and new windows and skylights floor the space with natural light. The addition of an exterior deck, with Ipe decking and a powder-coated steel railing, completes the suite, offering views of the Sunset Hill and the Ballard Locks. This transformed attic is now a charming, functional, and light-filled sanctuary, perfectly suited to its growing family.