Seattle-based studio Coates Design has designed the Dorsey Residence, a single family home completed in 2010. This 2,800 square foot two story contemporary home is located in Bainbridge island, a city in Kitsap County, Washington state, USA. From the outside, the home is an anonymous, almost austere, monumental concrete façade anchored deep into the hillside on a waterfront property. Much of the home is hidden behind the two-story concrete face. Upon entering, it becomes clear that it is an entirely different experience on the inside: warm, light, and open. Each room within the home was carefully designed to take advantage of views, provide comfort to the occupants, and an appealing style. With only a small buildable area available on the site, the home was designed to maximize the footprint through the use of vertical space which also takes advantage of the spectacular views of Puget Sound and Olympic Mountains to the West. The close proximity to the street is softened by native landscaping and a stone gabion retaining wall. The back façade of the home has an abundance of windows, which illuminate the interior livable space, maximizing the spectacular views of the Olympic Mountains and the water. The main living opens out onto a large deck that cantilevers from the home’s structure, providing a seamless connection from inside to out. The kitchen offers a beautifully crafted bar designed with caramelized bamboo, gloss laminate, and a three-way mitre corner. Visually hidden in custom built cabinetry in the pantry next to the kitchen are the refrigerator, washer and dryer, and wine cooler which save space and provide a clutter-free kitchen.
