kitchen design

A Perfect Coastal Retreat 2 Hours from Seattle

Other than being famous for the Olympic Rainshadow, making it unusually sunny for a place in Western Washington, Sequim also might be the most idyllic landing spot for a soul looking for a quaint town and a little peace and quiet near the water.

Haus of Hygge has launched another magical property in the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage, a veritable dream of a beach house situated on five acres of estuary that heads out into into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A distant lighthouse glimmers over the peaceful water while an occasional ship sails by, amongst a constant flurry of birds dipping and soaring. While the house is a fully-stocked modern retreat, the true magic is in the view and the surroundings.

My friend Sydney and I headed out on a beautiful July weekend to photograph the property and take it in for ourselves, documenting our stay all the while. We traipsed through lavender fields, scored the jackpot of antiques and thrifts, dined al fresco, and cozied up to You’ve Got Mail to the distant tune of lapping waves. To say it was the restorative bliss a busy mother needs isn’t saying enough. You just have to experience it for yourself.

In the mornings we enjoyed fresh brewed coffee as the birds performed their dance. Mid-day we took in the quaint towns of Sequim and nearby Port Townsend. As the evening breeze took hold, we lit up the gas fireplace and enjoyed the combination of fresh sea air and warmth from the fire, fresh from the oversize shower after a hot tub dip.

Two hours from Seattle (either by driving or by ferry), Sequim is situated on the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula. It’s a great stopping point if you’re road tripping around to the coast, but is worth a stay all of its own. Surrounded by literal dozens of lavender fields, a stroll through the mesmerizing rows is necessary during full bloom. (We visited B&B Family Lavender Farm.) Port Townsend is a 45-minute drive along winding country roads, and offers a historical dip into a quaint seaside town. (If you’re looking for an excellent burger high up on a waterfront patio, hit Sirens pub!)

As an interiors and travel photographer, I’ve slowly built a lifestyle of traveling and capturing the unique beauty of spaces all over. For me, the best way to capture a travel destination is by immersing myself in the environment. I love observing how the light changes and brings rooms to life. As we cooked dinner the first night, the most perfect ray of sunlight fell across the countertop as my friend was cutting a red bell pepper. You just can’t plan that stuff! And it truly tells the story of the space beyond your typical interior photographs. It’s the combination of those clean editorial images plus the handheld lifestyle snaps that bring the whole story together, creating an immersive peek into such beautifully curated spaces.

The Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage is available now to book! More information and booking details here.

Seattle Interior Photography | Modern Organic Kitchen

This kitchen went from new construction builder grade to custom luxury with the help of interior design expert Triple Heart Design. This kitchen renovation takes everything wonderful about Pacific Northwest modern organic design and blends it together to create a modern-yet-warm design that naturally takes center stage in the home.

Dark lower cabinets are balanced by bright countertops and custom open shelving in an non-traditional built-in style, bringing a bit of a library vibe to this airy kitchen.

I had the pleasure of styling this kitchen, working remotely with Triple Heart Design to nail down every detail. When I style my photography projects, I look for tones and materials. For this kitchen, I brought in some handcrafted details like the wooden bowl and large pottery. Since there are lots of modern elements in this space I also reflected that in the styling, including the white serving dish, the dried grass arrangement and black dishes.

Design: Triple Heart Design

Contractor: Jordan Valente

Styling & Photography: Emily Keeney

Seattle Bright White Kitchen | Interior Photography and Video

I recently had the pleasure of styling and shooting a beautiful all white kitchen for Lux Design Builds. It was a fun-filled shoot day, and I'm sure you'll be amazed to see how this kitchen looks anything but sterile or boring! The detail in the hardware and finishes gives it a dynamic, layered look that’s absolutely gorgeous.

My favorite approach to photoshoots is to take an active part in the styling. Not only does accessorizing a space intentionally bring a visual edge, but it adds a storytelling element to the shoot that comes through in photos. I jokingly say that I’ve been preparing for this all my life, but I’ve been collecting unique home accessories since I was a teenager. Pieces that I bring to photoshoots live around my house and are constantly getting shuffled and rotated. I spend time with these accessories and they all have stories.

When I style an interior photoshoot, I look at the space beforehand in photographs and do some pre-planning. I collect pieces into a bit of a mood board and use that as a launching point for the rest of the accessories that I collect. I try to avoid over-planning and allow for some last minute changes once I’m on site on the photoshoot day. I always bring more than I need and make swaps based on the overall chemistry of the room.

A well-styled space will bring your eye through the photo intentionally, drawing the viewer to observe the design details in an authentic way.

Enjoy this beautiful kitchen!

Lux Design Builds does a great job gathering client testimonials (they have many happy customers). This video was created to show off their work and hear from their clients. I shot and edited this video as well! Adding interior design video coverage is a great way to show the space in a different way. I imagine all my favorite HGTV shows’ big “reveal moments” when I shoot video. It should feel aligned with the photos and take the viewer into the scene in a a fresh way.

Bright and Blue Kitchen | Seattle Interior Photographer

When it comes to kitchens, Jennifer Gardner designs some of the freshest. This traditional Seattle craftsman got a big and bright update when she planned an open design that would let light through and reflect off of the stunning marble tile backsplash into the light cabinets and white countertops.

Staging and styling this space was an effort in restraint — the space itself is already so beautiful and full of detail. We paid attention to balancing the polish with some rugged elements, like the bowl and vase in the corner. Wooden cutting boards also bring a good dose of something organic which every space needs.

As usual, I photographed this kitchen using natural light only (with a few tricks up my sleeve of course). I turn the lights off whenever possible (unless the light source is architectural or aids in the design). As an artist, I feel like it’s important to observe the way light naturally enters the space. It’s an equal player to the design elements, and impacts every single thing in the space. When you’re looking at the difference between traditional real estate photography and editorial interior photography that’s one of the biggest changes. For me, good photography means telling the truth in an organic and elevated way. Sometimes it’s the simplest of production setups that have created my favorite work.

Design: Jennifer Gardner

Contractor: Western Red Homes

Backsplash: Tilebar

Range: Bertazzoni

Faucet: Brizo

Hardware: Rejuvenation