Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron revitalizes the façade of this Seattle home.

When architect Prentis Hale got his hands on a 1921 bungalow in West Seattle, he immediately recognized a bunch of flaws in the small home. For starters, the SHED principal saw the front steps were unnecessarily steep and the back deck didn’t optimize its clear views of Mount Rainier. The interior was equally dysfunctional, with strange remnants of old renovations and closed-off rooms unsuitable for a modern lifestyle. But with just minor structural updates and an infusion of natural materials, the house received a major upgrade.

At the entrance, Prentis replaced the precarious stairs with a generous, tight-knot cedar flight and a streamlined concrete landing. He also added a fresh coat of charcoal-hued paint and a big window that offers a more welcoming impression. “The clients wanted something that would provide curb appeal,” he explains.

“It’s a very long space once we took all the walls out, so we were interested in having some distinction between the rooms," says Prentis.

Prentis moved an exterior wall outward, slightly downsizing the front porch to lengthen the living area, where the fireplace was once uncomfortably close to the door. The three extra feet allow the hearth to serve as the centerpiece of the room, with furniture conveniently arranged around it, rather than as an awkward tripping hazard. “It’s a subtle change that actually makes a big difference in terms of how you can use that space,” Prentis describes.