Tucked into the quiet, tree-heavy folds of Seattle’s Denny Blaine neighborhood, Alder House offers a compelling case study in how architecture can mature gracefully without erasing its past. The project, led by SHED Architecture & Design, takes a distinctly 1990s residence – once loud in both color and form – and transforms it into a calm, energy-conscious home that feels deeply attuned to its wooded surroundings.

Rather than removing all traces of the original house, SHED approached the renovation as a considered enhancement. The three-story structure already possessed an intriguing relationship to its site, perched on a sloping lot flanked by alder trees and mature poplars, with filtered light arriving from the south and a discreet alley-level garage tucked below. What it lacked was cohesion – both in how the spaces worked internally and in how the house engaged with the landscape beyond its walls.

An angled path weaves through the trees, carrying visitors toward an elevated deck that bridges ground and home before meeting the front porch. The gesture sets the tone for the renovation: subtle and intentional, with an experience of moving through nature rather than arriving head-on with the home itself.

Inside, the homeowners’ desire for a modern retreat shaped the overhauled layout. At the heart of the transformation is the kitchen, which was repositioned and expanded to become the home’s social anchor. By eliminating a small, underused den near the entry and extending the footprint slightly westward, the design team created a generous, light-filled space organized around a central island. From here, sightlines and circulation flow more naturally into adjacent living areas, reinforcing a sense of openness without sacrificing intimacy.