How a Floor Plan Overhaul Modernized This Mid-Century Lakefront Classic

On the north shore of Washington’s Mercer Island, this mid-century modern-style home had the kind of bones that attract the right kind of renovation. But a series of past remodels had muddled the original design, especially in the kitchen and entries, leaving the interiors dark and disjointed. 

The challenge wasn’t just aesthetic, it was functional: how to modernize circulation and enhance indoor-outdoor flow without compromising the home’s mid-century character.

Seattle-based Dyna Builders, led by Ren Chandler, took on the task alongside architect Janice Wettstone and interior designer Kristi Steffen. A key advantage was Dyna Builders’ in-house metal fabrication shop, which allowed for custom structural and design solutions tailored to the home’s unique challenges. The team’s shared goal was to enhance livability while preserving the home’s original footprint and aesthetic. 

Pulling it off required the builder, architect, and designer to work closely together from day one to ensure that design, structure, and client needs were aligned from the start.

Among the biggest changes was the reorganization of the main living spaces, particularly the kitchen, which felt narrow and disconnected.

“The house is a fantastic example of mid-century design, but past remodels changed the layout of the entry, kitchen and mudroom area,” Chandler says. “The change made the kitchen challenging for entertaining and for the active family whose lives are centered around that space.”  

Their solution was to widen the kitchen, an effort requiring major structural changes, which created enough room for a generous 14-foot, 8-inch long island at the center. This move resolved circulation issues and gave the space a new purpose by seamlessly connecting it to the deck through large sliding glass doors.

An awkward leftover space from the kitchen expansion became a highly functional mudroom and pantry, fitted with custom built-ins and two full-height wine fridges. Bright and inviting, this expanded area became a family favorite. 

“The room gets beautiful natural light from large windows and the entry door,” says Chander, “and adding a skylight made it even brighter.”

The entryway also received a dramatic upgrade. A custom pivot door balances privacy with glimpses of light and lake. Just inside, dated pony walls gave way to slim metal railings that introduced light into the stairwell. 

Downstairs, the team preserved much of the original layout, including four bedrooms and a sunken family room, but refreshed the space with refinished bathrooms, updated finishes, and a hot tub sited discreetly off the lower-level covered patio.

One of the project’s key structural interventions took place here. The team replaced four wood columns that blocked the lake view with a 30-foot steel beam (fabricated by Dyna’s in-house metal shop) that dramatically opened the view. The underside of the deck was finished with tongue-and-groove cedar, integrated lighting, heaters, and speakers that transformed it into a four-season entertaining space.

Dyna’s metal shop played an important role throughout the project, fabricating not only structural elements like the patio beam, custom steel railings and landscaping features, but also indoor railings, fireplace surrounds and the primary shower enclosure inside the home. 

Throughout the home, luxury materials and details were carefully layered in. Calacatta Gold countertops, an onyx fireplace hearth with LED illumination, and custom lighting provide the focal points. Jewel-toned cabinetry and iconic furniture pieces, including Eames chairs, nod to the vibrancy of the mid-century era.

The primary bathroom, once awkwardly split into two, was reconfigured into a single spacious suite with a steam shower, soaking tub, large vanity, and a separate water closet. The adjacent walk-in closet was also expanded to match the scale of the new suite.

Asked what they had to give up to make the plan work, Chandler reflects: “I wouldn’t say we had to give anything up. We were all on the same page on preserving the home’s mid-century vibe, which made the process feel really cohesive.”

Working within the existing footprint and architectural language focused their choices, he explained.

In the end, it’s a project that reflects the builder’s values as much as the client’s: strategic where it needed to be, dramatic where it mattered, and with a laser focus on what really matters in a modern lakefront home.

Read more: Mount St Helen's Lakefront Retreat | Case Studies | Dyna Builders' Seattle Craftsman | Feng Shui Mid-Century Home

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PROJECT TEAM:

Builder: Dyna Builders, Ren Chandler

Architecture: Wettstone Studio, Janice Wettstone

Interior Design: Dyna Design, Kristi Steffen

Landscaping/Landscape Architecture: Studio Terrain

Metal Fabrication: Dyna Builders’ in-house metal shop

Photography: Rafael Soldi

PRODUCT SPECS:

Appliances: Sub Zero & Wolf

Wallpaper: Gucci, Kelly Wearstler

Cabinet Hardware: Buster & Punch

Designer Tile: Ann Sacks, Kelly Wearstler, Terrazzo

Countertops: Calacatta Gold Extra Select

Fireplace (Sunken Living): Onyx Crema

Spa: Diamond Spas & Pools

Sauna: Sunlighten

Furniture: Womb Chair, Barcelona Chair, Eames Chair, Mah Jong Missoni couch, Camaleonda x Stella McCartney for B&B Italia

Lighting: Apparatus Studio (custom), Ralph Lauren (art lighting)

Shades: Lutron

Sliders: Fleetwood