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What started with a fixer-upper in 1998 has grown into a three-building compound shaped by changing codes—and long-term thinking.
In 1998, when architects Lisa Chadbourne and Daren Doss bought a modest Craftsman on a large, slightly scruffy lot in Seattle’s Central District, they were drawn less to the home itself than to the property’s potential.
"We always thought, wow, we could do something with this," Lisa recalls.
At the time, "something" meant fixing up the existing house and, eventually, carving out space to work. In 2005, after a zoning change allowed detached accessory dwelling units, the couple—who are the founders and principals of Chadbourne + Doss Architects—built a compact backyard studio. It functioned as an office, guesthouse, and creative testing ground; a flexible structure that hinted at the site’s long-term prospects.
Lisa Chadbourne and Daren Doss’s L-shaped home creates private courtyards on the 7,600-square-foot Seattle lot they’ve gradually developed over the last 27 years. The black AEP Span Nu-Wave corrugated siding requires zero maintenance, and Loewen aluminum-clad mixed-grain fir windows and doors anchor the high-performance envelope.
Photo: Rafael Soldi
The energy-efficient home has rooftop solar panels, and the walls are filled with Rockwool insulation.
Photo: Rafael Soldi
Leftover Madera oak flooring wraps the front of the kitchen island. The couple used Caesarstone quartz only at the sink locations to control costs.
Photo: Rafael Soldi
See the full story on Dwell.com: Budget Breakdown: Their $954K Seattle Dream Home Was Nearly Three Decades in the Making
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Read More
By: Stacey McLachlan
Title: Budget Breakdown: Their $954K Seattle Dream Home Was Nearly Three Decades in the Making
Sourced From: www.dwell.com/article/budget-breakdown-nook-house-chadbourne-and-doss-architects-seattle-5bae5d48
Published Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:25:21 GMT
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