Remodeling
Stream of Conscious Design
A Bellevue couple had no qualms about the location of their home—but their dull and inconvenient kitchen layout simply had to go. Well-thought design blends the outdoors and indoors, producing serene and classy new digs

  • Art pieces that Geoff Sullivan had picked up on his travels were selected by him and Yoshikawa to decorate the space.
  • The upside-down-T-shaped window constructs a unique panoramic view of the backyard.
  • A Plexiglas “stream” in the granite island counter top leads the eye to the garden outside the window.

THE CHALLENGE: Geoff and Jaime Sullivan loved the location of their late-1990s Bellevue home within walking distance of the Microsoft campus, but the home had some flaws. For one, the small beige kitchen “wasn’t designed well to be comfortable,” Geoff says. The Sullivans enjoy cooking and entertaining, and they wanted their kitchen to be a functional open space with an outside-inside feel.

They each had an image of their dream kitchen; architect and interior designer Midori Yoshikawa says Jaime wanted a clean, contemporary look, while Geoff hoped for something more artistic and whimsical. It was Yoshikawa’s job to design a functional space that married their disparate tastes.

THE SOLUTION: Knocking out a wall added 4 feet to the kitchen and allowed Yoshikawa to create a custom window above the sink that offers a panoramic view of the backyard. To satisfy both homeowners, the designer integrated both modern and whimsical elements. Everything above eye level is clean and contemporary (sleek natural maple cabinets, for example), while elements below eye level introduce artistic surprises (such as custom cabinet knobs).

Black granite slab was used for the counters; the island custom counter top by local artist Rob Henderson is made of recycled wine bottles, with a Plexiglas “stream” running through the center. This summer, the Sullivans plan to landscape their garden with a waterfall and a small stream that visually connects to that inside element.

Yoshikawa says it was the Sullivans’ vision of a kitchen that brings the outdoors in that made the remodel a success: “A strong concept makes a successful design.”

Design Details
Architect & Interior Designer
Midori Yoshikawa, Midori Yoshikawa Interior Design
1610 130th Ave. N.E., Bellevue
(425) 688-0321