Spending all this time in our own quarters leads to restless thinking—of making home improvements or of moving on, maybe to another planet. Today we’re spotlighting the longtime family home of a couple with grown children who felt very ready for a change but decided to stay put.
Their place, a charming but compact 1915 carriage house in Seattle’s Capitol Hill, now has a fresh, new look—full kitchen and bath remodel, included—thanks to interior designer Heidi Caillier. It was Caillier who suggested the owners travel in a sense, by applying a timeless, English-accented approach to their rooms: “British style works well in the Pacific Northwest because of the grayness,” she says. “It’s all about making things feel cozy and welcoming—and like a shelter.”
Photography by Haris Kenjar, courtesy of Heidi Caillier Design.
![converted for living some time in the last century, the \1,\200 square foot str 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seattle-carriage-house-remodel-by-heidi-caillier-1-733x503.jpg)
The owners raised their children here and had “long toyed with the idea of upgrading to bigger quarters, but decided to sacrifice space for charm,” adds Caillier. As was, the rooms were “very lived in and loved; well-maintained but in need of a refresh.”
![the furnishings are a mix of craftsman made, modern heirloom pieces and vintage 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seattle-carriage-house-remodel-by-heidi-caillier-2-733x927.jpg)
![the walls and moldings are painted benjamin moore\2\17;s mascarpone; for 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seattle-carriage-house-remodel-by-heidi-caillier-3-733x901.jpg)
![tailored granny chic: caillier designed skirted armchairs for the music corner 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seattle-carriage-house-remodel-by-heidi-caillier-4-733x918.jpg)
Pleated fabric lampshades (custom made by Cruel Mountain) are another homey, decidedly British, touch. “You will note we did not use a lot of pillows or heavy window treatments,” says Caillier. “The lampshades were intentionally done to bring in those textiles in a more simple way.” For more, see 11 Favorites: The Return of the Artfully Patterned Lampshade.
![\2\20;we played around with how to open up the main living spaces to eac 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seattle-carriage-house-remodel-by-heidi-caillier-6-733x885.jpg)
![the dining table and chairs are sawkille designs: the springsteen trestle table 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/seattle-carriage-house-remodel-by-heidi-caillier-7-733x911.jpg)
![the built in corner cabinet is a new addition—\2\2\1;it mimics wh 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/skip-rep-hcd-cap-hill-8-733x890.jpg)
![the custom galley kitchen references designs by leading uk design firms devol a 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/galley-kitchen-seattle-by-heidi-caillier-9-733x847.jpg)
“The crown molding replicates what exists throughout rest of house,” says Caillier. “We added new windows that match the original leaded-glass designs.”
![\2\20;galley kitchens can be tricky,\2\2\1; says caillier, &# 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/galley-kitchen-seattle-by-heidi-caillier-10-733x560.jpg)
![the blue star range is set in a niche with built in storage. the handmade crack 26](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/galley-kitchen-seattle-by-heidi-caillier-11-733x921.jpg)
![the fridge is integrated behind cabinet panels at the end of the range wall. 27](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/galley-kitchen-seattle-by-heidi-caillier-12-733x941.jpg)
![the same vertical paneling applied in the kitchen appears in the overhauled tin 28](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/tiny-pink-bathroom-seattle-by-heidi-caillier-13-733x955.jpg)
The Zellige tile is from Clé and the Highgate brass fixtures are from Waterworks. The sconce is the Ladybower from UK classic bath company Drummonds. See more of Caillier’s work at Heidi Caillier Design.
Three more stylish tiny house overhauls:
- Little Pink House: A Creative Couple’s Classic-with-a-Twist Home in Denmark
- Before/After: A Space-Enhancing Historic House Remodel in Melbourne
- Unplugged: A Young Couple’s DIY, Totally Off-the-Grid Cabin in the New Hampshire Wood
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