This Designer's Bright and Sunny Seattle Home is a Must-See

Owner: Emily Ruff of Cohesively Curated Interiors

Location: Seattle, Washington, in the Wedgwood neighborhood north of downtown. "It’s actually the neighborhood my dad grew up in and my grandparents lived there for fifty-plus years,” Ruff shares.

An Ideal Project in a “Crazy” Real Estate Market 

This 1,900 square feet, 3 bed/2 bath home might not have been love at first sight, but it ticked some major must-haves for Ruff and her family. 

“The real estate market is always crazy in Seattle, and we had lost out on a couple of homes before this one,” Ruff tells us. “The layout and hardwood floors were our two must-haves. This home was definitely dated, but it felt like we could update it over time and still live with the existing fixtures and finishes for as long as we needed to.”

Style

The home is chock-full of personal touches and tiny details, and this is most definitely intentional.

“My aesthetic is fairly eclectic, and I love to mix vintage with modern to create a transitional feeling that is well-curated and not straight out of a catalog,” Ruff says.

Regretting the Original Hardwood Floors (Just a Little)

While the hardwood floors were originally a main attraction for the house, Ruff has one thing she wishes they’d done differently.

“We kept the original hardwood floors and didn't refinish them before moving in, which was always a big regret,” Ruff says. “They do add a ton of character though.”

A Deck That’s Perfect for Entertaining

“We had a great deck that was great for entertaining,” Ruff says of the home’s outdoor space. They also had “several raised beds with flowers and fruits/veggies. The blueberry bushes and peonies were my favorite and both became huge!”

“Life-Changing” Bathroom Storage

Of all the things she loves about the bathroom, Ruff says there’s no competition: “The vanity for sure! After living with a pedestal sink for the first 1.5 years that we lived there, having that storage was life-changing.”

A Kitchen With Dream Countertops 

“I loved that quartzite for so long before using it, and I still love it today,” Ruff gushes about the kitchen, which also features a neutral color palette and plenty of natural light.

“The natural light in the house is one of the best things about it," she shares. "There are so many large windows in the living and dining room, so you get amazing light in the morning and evening.”

Dining Room Views

Off the kitchen is the family’s dining room, complete with corner windows, which Ruff says feature one of her favorite views.

“The house is on a hill so that view is unobstructed, and there are such pretty trees," she shares.

Small, Cozy Bedrooms With a Few Special Features

“The bedrooms are all so small, around 10' x 10',” Ruff says. “I love how the dark blue in the primary bedroom makes it feel so cozy. I also really love the draperies in both bedrooms and the lucite ceiling-mounted rods that we DIYed, and through the nursery window, there is a tiny view of Lake Washington.”

Potential Projects for the Future

“We remodeled every inch of the house so there isn't anything left to change, but the basement has always felt like there is a lot of wasted space,” Ruff says.  “We have polished concrete floors that we stained black which looks charcoal gray in reality. We love them, very practical for a basement.”

One Special (and Functional!) Vintage Piece

“The most beloved and used piece is the vintage campaign dresser in the dining room,” Ruff says. “It stores all of our large serving ware and linens, and the top 2 drawers are the catch-all drawers that we put all the little things that don't have another place.”