Paxson Fay is a full-service marketing / communications firm specializing in the architecture, design and arts industries.

Paxson Fay

2309 E Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98112
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SHED Architecture & Design’s Black Sheep Remodel on Dwell

Before & After: Clever Changes Bring Out the Charm in a 1920s Seattle Bungalow

By Melissa Dalton
SHED Architecture & Design fine-tunes the home’s floor plan—and then knits it all together with custom casework.

In a real estate market as hot as Seattle’s, it’s not uncommon for 100-year-old houses to get torn down in favor of building bigger and boxier. But the couple that bought this 1921 bungalow didn’t need more space—they just needed the layout to flow together better.

“They did not want to tear it down—they wanted to work with the existing bones of the house, and open up the kitchen and the dining room to the living room to make it a Bohemian hangout pad,” says designer Prentis Hale, of the Seattle firm SHED Architecture & Design.

Before: Front Porch

Before: The bungalow sits on a lovely corner lot and has a beautiful view of Mount Rainier. The owners wanted their renovation "to maintain the character of the neighborhood," says Prentis Hale of SHED Architecture & Design.
Before: The bungalow sits on a lovely corner lot and has a beautiful view of Mount Rainier. The owners wanted their renovation “to maintain the character of the neighborhood,” says Prentis Hale of SHED Architecture & Design.
Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

SHED’s redesign started outside. Access to the front and back doors was compromised by the home’s height off the ground and narrow staircases, which emphasized the separation between inside and out. SHED rebuilt the staircases to be wider and more generous, so that they could double as seats.

After: Front Porch 

Exterior, Shingles Roof Material, Gable RoofLine, Wood Siding Material, Small Home Building Type, and House Building Type The home’s 2,340 square feet span the upper and lower levels, while the basement can serve as an independent ADU, home office, or guest quarters. The lower-level entry is now more comfortable, with a wide waiting area protected from the weather overhead.
The home’s 2,340 square feet span the upper and lower levels, while the basement can serve as an independent ADU, home office, or guest quarters. The lower-level entry is now more comfortable, with a wide waiting area protected from the weather overhead.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: exterior, shingles roof material, gable roofline, wood siding material, small home building type, house building type
Doors, Swing Door Type, Wood, and Exterior The firm shrank the footprint of the front porch to give the living room more interior space. New fir casework can be found throughout the renovation, and the siding is painted in Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron.
The firm shrank the footprint of the front porch to give the living room more interior space. New fir casework can be found throughout the renovation, and the siding is painted in Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: doors, swing door type, wood, exterior

The original floor plan—a simple rectangle—is common to homes of this time. A long and narrow living and dining room lies on one side of the home, and two bedrooms and a bath sit on the other. However, a few small additions and faulty interventions had created too many compact rooms connected by narrow doorways and haphazard pass-throughs.

SHED removed two walls to improve the circulation between the main living spaces. “The clients initially were like, ‘Let’s open this all up.’ But it was a little too open,” recalls Hale. The solution is a half-wall topped with slim shelving that “keeps the whole space open, but creates some definition between spaces so it doesn’t feel like you’re in a big, long tube,” says Hale.

Before: Living Room 

Before: The front door opened to the fireplace. "You couldn’t put furniture around the fireplace in the original plan," says Hale.
Before: The front door opened to the fireplace. “You couldn’t put furniture around the fireplace in the original plan,” says Hale.

Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

After: Living Room

Living Room, Sofa, Medium Hardwood Floor, Accent Lighting, Wood Burning Fireplace, Chair, End Tables, Standard Layout Fireplace, Table Lighting, Coffee Tables, and Console Tables SHED borrowed space from the front porch to increase the size of the living room by four feet and create a lounge spot in front of the fire. 
SHED borrowed space from the front porch to increase the size of the living room by four feet and create a lounge spot in front of the fire.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: living room, sofa, medium hardwood floors, accent lighting, wood burning fireplace, chair, end tables, standard layout fireplace, table lighting, coffee tables, console tables

Before: Dining Room

Before: A narrow doorway separated the rear of the living room from the dining room.
Before: A narrow doorway separated the rear of the living room from the dining room.

Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

Before: The dining room had an abundance of windows, but many of them were rotted or painted shut. A series of narrow doorways connected the dining room to the kitchen.
Before: The dining room had an abundance of windows, but many of them were rotted or painted shut. A series of narrow doorways connected the dining room to the kitchen.

Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

After: Dining Room

Living Room, Ceiling Lighting, Recessed Lighting, Coffee Tables, Standard Layout Fireplace, Sofa, Wood Burning Fireplace, Chair, Console Tables, Medium Hardwood Floor, Media Cabinet, and End Tables SHED replaced the windows with new wood units of the same style. Note how the shelving at the half-wall aligns perfectly with the window mullions.
SHED replaced the windows with new wood units of the same style. Note how the shelving at the half-wall aligns perfectly with the window mullions.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: living room, ceiling lighting, recessed lighting, coffee tables, standard layout fireplace, sofa, wood burning fireplace, chair, console tables, medium hardwood floors, media cabinet, end tables
Living Room, Coffee Tables, Sofa, Shelves, Medium Hardwood Floor, End Tables, and Chair The half-wall makes furniture arrangement in the living room a bit easier, as a couch can be placed against it to create a conversation area near the preserved window seat.
The half-wall makes furniture arrangement in the living room a bit easier, as a couch can be placed against it to create a conversation area near the preserved window seat.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: living room, coffee tables, sofa, shelves, medium hardwood floors, end tables, chair
Dining Room, Ceiling Lighting, Pendant Lighting, Medium Hardwood Floor, Chair, and Table The new windows echo the style of the old ones while providing improved energy efficiency. The wood trim syncs with the new casework elsewhere in the home.
The new windows echo the style of the old ones while providing improved energy efficiency. The wood trim syncs with the new casework elsewhere in the home.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: dining room, ceiling lighting, pendant lighting, medium hardwood floors, chair, table
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“The kitchen was super weird, and had also been remodeled a couple times,” says Hale. “It was extended to enclose the back porch, but the plan of the kitchen hadn’t changed.” The result was a series of chopped-up spaces, disconnected from the rest of the house.

When the firm removed a structural wall to combine these spaces into one, they installed a generous island with a slim structural column at its corner, which Hale calls the “linchpin” in the design. “It was this pin in the plan that anchored the island and allowed us to clear out the walls in the kitchen,” says Hale.

Before: Kitchen

Before: The kitchen had a mishmash of finishes from different remodels over the years.
Before: The kitchen had a mishmash of finishes from different remodels over the years.

Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

Before: A pass-through allowed sight lines to the backyard but chopped up the floor plan.
Before: A pass-through allowed sight lines to the backyard but chopped up the floor plan.

Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

After: Kitchen

Kitchen, Engineered Quartz Counter, Dishwasher, Medium Hardwood Floor, Vessel Sink, Laminate Cabinet, Colorful Cabinet, Range, Wood Cabinet, Range Hood, and Refrigerator The new structural support at the island is a slim intervention that enabled the firm to open up the kitchen to the rest of the home.
The new structural support at the island is a slim intervention that enabled the firm to open up the kitchen to the rest of the home.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: kitchen, engineered quartz counters, dishwasher, medium hardwood floors, vessel sinks, laminate cabinets, colorful cabinets, range, wood cabinets, range hood, refrigerator
Kitchen, Colorful Cabinet, Engineered Quartz Counter, Medium Hardwood Floor, Wood Cabinet, Laminate Cabinet, Dishwasher, Range Hood, Range, Refrigerator, and Vessel Sink The preserved brick chimney was exposed and cleaned up in the remodel. A classic Smeg range and exhaust hood create a pleasing contrast with the contemporary Kerf cabinetry.
The preserved brick chimney was exposed and cleaned up in the remodel. A classic Smeg range and exhaust hood create a pleasing contrast with the contemporary Kerf cabinetry.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: kitchen, colorful cabinets, engineered quartz counters, medium hardwood floors, wood cabinets, laminate cabinets, dishwasher, range hood, range, refrigerator, vessel sinks
Kitchen, Wood Cabinet, Range, Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Engineered Quartz Counter, Colorful Cabinet, Medium Hardwood Floor, Vessel Sink, Laminate Cabinet, and Range Hood The walls are covered in Milestone cement plaster.
The walls are covered in Milestone cement plaster.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: kitchen, wood cabinets, range, refrigerator, dishwasher, engineered quartz counters, colorful cabinets, medium hardwood floors, vessel sinks, laminate cabinets, range hood

While the owners were happy to preserve the character of the 100-year-old house, they also wanted to foster a tension between old and new throughout. “The owners really liked this house, so they didn’t want to go super contemporary on anything. They wanted a mix,” says Hale.

In the kitchen, custom plywood and laminate cabinetry by Seattle-based Kerf Design contrasts with the exposed brick chimney and classic detailing on the range. In the bathroom, a Kerf medicine chest echoes the new casework elsewhere, while a claw-foot tub nods to the house’s vintage.

For Hale, the remodel really “shows the value of small moves,” whether borrowing a couple feet of space here and there, or opening up walls and installing new cohesive casework. “A few subtle changes transformed the house,” he says.

Before: Bathroom

Before: The firm borrowed space from an adjacent bedroom to enlarge the bathroom.
Before: The firm borrowed space from an adjacent bedroom to enlarge the bathroom.

Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

After: Bathroom

Bath Room, One Piece Toilet, Ceramic Tile Floor, Wall Mount Sink, Wall Lighting, Accent Lighting, Freestanding Tub, and Full Shower A claw-foot tub is combined with a wall-hung sink and a contemporary medicine cabinet by Kerf, continuing the tension between old and new. A new skylight brings in plenty of sunlight.
A claw-foot tub is combined with a wall-hung sink and a contemporary medicine cabinet by Kerf, continuing the tension between old and new. A new skylight brings in plenty of sunlight.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: bath room, one piece toilets, ceramic tile floors, wall mount sinks, wall lighting, accent lighting, freestanding tubs, full showers

Before: Back Porch

Before: The firm also made over the back porch to better connect it to the yard. They swapped out the back door and updated the stairs and deck.
Before: The firm also made over the back porch to better connect it to the yard. They swapped out the back door and updated the stairs and deck.

Courtesy of SHED Architecture & Design

After: Back Porch

Outdoor, Vertical Fences, Wall, Back Yard, Hardscapes, Trees, Shrubs, Wood Patio, Porch, Deck, Walkways, Grass, and Large Patio, Porch, Deck Now, an eight-foot sliding door brings light into the kitchen and enables fluid movement between inside and out. The wider steps can serve as seats during a party, and they make for a graceful transition to the yard.
Now, an eight-foot sliding door brings light into the kitchen and enables fluid movement between inside and out. The wider steps can serve as seats during a party, and they make for a graceful transition to the yard.

Photo: Rafael Soldi

Photo Categories: outdoor, vertical fences, walls, back yard, hardscapes, trees, shrubs, wood patio, porch, deck, walkways, grass, large patio, porch, deck
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meet the team

We’re a band of women (and a dog named Evie) inspired by other women, design, innovation, technology, art, and the world around us. We live for the chance to create and disperse powerful, genuine messages that resonate.

amy golden

principal
amy@paxsonfay.com

Growing up in Seattle, Amy was always exploring the great outdoors but she found a particular thrill in traveling. During a visit to New York City at age 10, she knew that was where she wanted to live. After high school she left her home in the Pacific Northwest behind for the great unknown to attend Fordham University in the Bronx. Upon graduation, Amy received a phone call from CNN offering a job opportunity of a lifetime working in television ad sales at Manhattan's Time Warner Center. When a job opportunity in Los Angeles opened up a few years later, Amy couldn't say no to a new adventure back on the west coast. But Seattle eventually called her back home and Amy returned to pursue a Master's degree in Business Administration with the hopes of learning the skills she needed to feed her entrepreneurial spirit. Before graduating, Amy co-founded Paxson Fay with Tessa Andrews in 2015. Amy focuses on marketing strategy, public relations, social media, and partnerships.

Amy Golden Public Relations

tessa franchini

principal
tessa@paxsonfay.com

Tessa graduated from Fordham University in New York with a dual bachelor's degree in Communications and Political Science. During her time at Fordham, she worked for an interior designer and at NBC News where she developed her love for both design and communications. After graduating, Tessa managed marketing at 3form, a pioneer in the sustainable building products industry. During her tenure, 3form was repeatedly named one of the most recognized manufacturers in the design industry among architects and designers, and the company won multiple awards for its innovative product launches. After 3form, Tessa consulted on marketing efforts with leading product manufacturers in architecture and design before starting Paxson Fay with Amy.

claire butwinick

account coordinator
claire@paxsonfay.com

Claire Butwinick specializes in marketing and social media strategy, copywriting, and public relations. Formerly the Assistant Editor at GRAY Magazine, an international architecture and design publication based in Seattle, Claire brings to Paxson Fay her editorial background and a passion for all things design. In addition to her writing experience, Claire is a seasoned public speaker, moderating a number of panel discussions with IDS Vancouver and Be Original Americas, and hosting the 2019 GRAY Awards. Last year, she took her speaking skills virtual, conducting several Instagram Live interviews with designers amid the pandemic. A graduate from the University of Washington’s School of Communication: Journalism, Claire was honored with a Pioneer News Group Excellence Award for Visual Journalism, selected for the Communication department’s prestigious Career Exploration scholarship, and nominated for a Hearst National Journalism Award. Her work also appears in GRAY Magazine, Office Insight, SagaCity’s Jewish in Seattle Magazine, and more.

colby wood

account coordinator
colby@paxsonfay.com

After graduating from Fordham University in New York City with a major in Communications and Media Studies and a handful of marketing and PR internships, Colby moved to Boston to manage marketing for a small, women-owned, creative consulting agency. While in that role, Colby managed public relations and marketing efforts for some of Boston's most prominent events and public art initiatives, including the Boston Pickle Fair and The Bulfinch Crossing Projections in downtown Boston. Colby gained experience crafting brand stories and identities through social media marketing and creative copywriting, seen through the successful launch of a premier Massachusetts adult-use dispensary and the revamp of her agency's own website. After two years, Colby decided it was time to figure out what the West Coast was all about. Looking to blend her marketing experience with her passion for design and architecture, Colby found Paxson Fay, where she focuses on social media strategy and management and public relations.

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what we do

We are a communications firm founded in our passion for good design. Our unique approach to marketing and public relations in the architecture and design community has elevated our clients work to the next level. We’re backed by a talented community of creatives. From copywriters to social media experts, we provide a complete package of customized services. We strive to create a personal experience with each client, integrating teams and tackling your biggest marketing and public relations challenges from a high level. Then we help execute those plans ensuring lots of reporting along the way, with lots of coffee breaks in between because we’re from Seattle and that’s what we do.

 

marketing

marketing strategy

brand strategy

project management

partnerships acquisition and management

e-mail blasts

public relations

media strategy

content production

media communications and outreach

awards: strategy, content development and submissions

social

platform strategy and management

content production

targeted campaigns

results + reporting

advertising

advertising strategy

budget strategy + negotiation

calendar management

creative coordination

content

storytelling

copywriting

website and e-mail marketing

video: sourcing, storyboarding and scheduling

photography acquisition + curation

events

event management

sponsorships + partnerships

tradeshow coordination

press tours

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clients

Here is a little taste of who we love to work with and what we love to do.

 

SHED Architecture & Design

3form

Best Practice Architecture

Hightower

Chown Hardware

Grand Rapids Chair Co

Modern Shed

Union Wood Co

Hybrid

Acentech

Heliotrope Architects

LightArt

GRAY Magazine

Signal Architecture + Research

Kate Duncan / ADDRESS

Electric Coffin

Móz Architectural Metals

Springboard

Dwell Development

Interstyle

Michael Courtney Design

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