Mercer Island Indoor/Outdoor Kitchen Renovation Stunner

This project is a stunning transformation of a Mercer Island kitchen, dining and outdoor kitchen space, also with a big upgrade for the primary bathroom. Designed by ID by Gwen and built by Bright Work Builders, this renovation offers a spacious kitchen that flows into the dining room and outdoor space with a bright and natural feeling. When I arrived on site, the homeowner had just finished a swim in Lake Washington. Over the course of the shoot I could sense the unity between the design of the space with the lifestyle of its inhabitants.

With plenty of counter space (a beautiful stone!) and a large pass-through window to the outdoor kitchen, this space begs for hosting gatherings and enjoying quality time in the beautiful Seattle climate. The covered outdoor kitchen nearly doubles the footprint of the initial space. Gary of BrightWork Builders explained how the entire roof line was extended to accommodate this new kitchen, though from a glance it appears to have been there from the start.

The kitchen has a mostly white design, with a beautiful blue island to break up the visuals. The glass pendant light fixtures act as the finishing touches and really bring the space to life. A vase of hydrangeas perfectly brought together the tones of the light fixtures and the island, with the slightly gray countertops.

An added bonus to this beautiful project, the primary bathroom got a beautiful upgrade. The blue theme carried through upstairs with a deep cobalt tile with a subtle pattern and all new cabinetry, soaking bathtub and large glass shower stall.

Enjoy this beautiful renovation!

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 Airbnb Photographer + Video | Cave B

After a long Seattle winter (with still a good amount to go) I was more than enthusiastic about a daytrip over the pass to Eastern Washington. It’s really magical to emerge from the densely mountainous and green Snoqualmie Pass into the brown rolling hills of our desert land. To be greeted with pristine blue skies is such a gift in these darker shorter days.

Just inside the Cave B property is a unique and hyper-modern building project designed by the Seattle architectural firm Olson Kundig. Several groupings of neo brutalist dwellings are strewn about the desert property. Floor to ceiling windows and interiors that seamlessly transition to exteriors create an almost glamping-like effect (except with indoor plumbing and insulation). The view stretches over the Columbia River Gorge where you can walk to summer concerts.

Plato’s Cave is a new vacation rental on Airbnb that offers guests an experience of this stunning landscape. A perfect place to escape the Seattle grind and be surrounded by beautiful architecture, this new space has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and boasts a beautiful firepit lounge and hot tub.

As an interior photographer in Seattle, I’m used to lots of craftsman details, so to photograph an uber modern structure was such a fun change of pace. The interior design is muted and cool in tone, a refreshing shadow in a sun-drenched desert otherwise. The technical challenge in this project was bringing the view of the outdoors into every shot. I stray from real estate photography in which an almost otherworldly clear view out the windows is the norm, and everything is over-bright. I want it to feel like you’re really in the space, with the photos portraying an editorial and lifestyle approach. Reading the light and shadow of each individual space, I tailor my natural-light approach to finding the best balance of nuance and detail.

Enjoy beautiful Plato’s Cave!