What to do when you’ve got a growing family and a tiny house on a postage stamp lot? Expand up! But, building up isn’t without challenges, especially when the addition needs to bear on a basement that had been fully remodeled a few years earlier. But you love the neighborhood, you don’t want to move, so you get creative. And that is what this family of four did.

Taking advantage of the property’s vertical space, we redesigned the main floor and added a new second story as well as an attached garage with family room above. We converted a basement apartment into an ADU and relocated the home’s entry to the front of the house (away from its previous location off a skinny sideyard). The garage shifted north and created a new south facing backyard for the dog and kids to enjoy. The main stair was centrally relocated to where the new garage/family room wing meets the main house.

The entry, living, dining and kitchen spaces are open and free of walls. The powder room, entry closet and pantry are consolidated into a single functional block. An undulating wood screen divides the main stair from the dining room while allowing light to filter in from a window/skylight that wraps up and over the stairwell. Floor to ceiling windows and doors open to the front and back yards, while clerestory and counter height windows provide light and privacy from the sideyards. A short, floor-bound window provides a spot for the family's dog to peer outside.

By going up, we added more bedrooms and separate baths for the family. The master suite anchors the west end of the upper floor, complete with its own walk-in closet and bath. The bath has a walk-in shower and functional double vanity as well as clerestory windows that bring in light but preserve privacy. A laundry room is conveniently located at the top of the stair to service all bedrooms. The bedrooms line the south wall capturing light and urban views of the hills of Seattle in the distance.

This newly built home creates more space for the family as well as rentable ADU space for additional density.