Paxson Fay is a full-service marketing and public relations firm specializing in the architecture, design, and arts industries.
Paxson Fay
4770 Ohio Ave S
Ste B
Seattle, WA 98134
info@paxsonfay.com
SHED Architecture’s Guemes Island Bunkhouse in the New York Times
What’s Better Than a Tiny Island Cabin? Two, Side by Side.
For years, the antique cottage off the coast of Washington had served her well. But with grandchildren on the way, she needed a little extra space.
Two Tiny Cabins on a Washington Island
Some tiny homes seem so ideal that it’s tempting to avoid changing them, even when life demands otherwise. That’s how Pam Austin felt when her family began outgrowing the 450-square-foot log cabin she owns on Guemes Island, off the coast of Washington.
In 2000, Ms. Austin and her now ex-husband bought the little house, which sits on a beachfront lot, as a getaway from their primary home in Seattle. At the time, Ms. Austin, 72, said, “it was charming, but in bad shape” — overrun by mice and riddled with mildew.
The structure had been built on another island in the early 20th century, neighbors told her, and in the 1940s it was dismantled, floated and reassembled at its present site. More than half a century later, it was in such disrepair that “the people who owned it before us wouldn’t even stay in the cabin,” Ms. Austin said. “They’d just pitch their tents in front.”
As time went on, however, she met a new partner who shared her love of the cabin, William Pence, 73. Her sons, Eric David, now 30, and Alex David, 28, grew up and developed relationships of their own, and Ms. Austin suspected there might soon be grandchildren.
Asking her sons to pile into the tiny cabin when they visited no longer seemed feasible. “They’re adults now and don’t want to sleep with Mom, on a cot,” Ms. Austin said. Yet she still wanted the property to serve as a family compound.
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“I wanted the footprint to be as small as possible,” Ms. Austin said. So she decided to build a compact bunkhouse behind the original cabin and asked the Seattle firm Shed Architecture & Design for help.
She told Prentis Hale, a principal at Shed, that she didn’t want the bunkhouse to have a full kitchen and living room. She wanted it to provide sleeping space only. That way, she said, “we all have to come together here at the cabin — this is the place where we gather.”
Mr. Hale loved the idea. “These days, everybody builds a much larger house right on the water — these gargantuan projects that don’t have a lot of contextual siting,” he said. “I agreed with her decision, because it’s just impossible to recreate a hundred-year-old cabin.”
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After studying the site, the architects designed a two-story, 590-square-foot bunkhouse threaded between mature fir and cedar trees behind the original cabin. The ground floor contains a mudroom, bathroom and small kitchenette. The upstairs has three sleeping areas separated by wood slats and curtains. At the top of the stairs, there is built-in seating beneath an expansive skylight, with cushions that double as twin mattresses. On either side is a bedroom with a queen-size mattress and a pair of bunks.
Responding to Ms. Austin’s request for simple, durable materials, the architects used plywood for the built-in furniture and to line the interior walls. On the floors, there is more plywood and eco-friendly Marmoleum flooring. Low-cost porcelain lamp holders serve as sconces, and the bathroom is fitted with drop-in stainless steel sinks. Jennie Gruss, an interior designer, helped Ms. Austin bring in color with patterned throw pillows and striped bedding.
Outside, the lower level of the bunkhouse is clad in dark-stained log-cabin-style siding to match the original cabin. Where the top level extends cantilevers out to create a covered porch, it is supported by a pair of tree trunks that Ms. Austin’s builder, Kaplan Homes, found washed up on the beach.
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Ms. Austin and Mr. Hale used the construction project as an opportunity to install a new septic system and to solve another problem: The old well had run dry. To provide water for both structures, Mr. Hale designed the roof of the bunkhouse with gutters that collect rainwater, which is pumped into cisterns and filtered for use.
Construction took about a year and was completed last December, at a cost of about $600,000.
It seemed to be just in time, as Ms. Austin’s family continues to expand. In addition to spending more time at the property during the pandemic, her son Eric had his wedding there in 2021.
“I’m going to be a grandmother in April,” she said. And the compound, she added, is already functioning as she hoped it would.
“We had Christmas here, we had Thanksgiving here, and we had my birthday party here,” she said. “Everybody comes — so yes, it’s working.”
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meet the team
We’re inspired by diverse design perspectives, innovation, technology, art, and the world around us. We live for the chance to create and disperse powerful, genuine messages that resonate.
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.
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.
colby wood
senior account executive
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.
paige childs
communication specialist
paige@paxsonfay.com
As a child, Paige wanted to be an architect; but after falling in love with storytelling, the power of words, and yes, the show West Wing, she decided to pursue journalism at The George Washington University in the nation’s capital. Following graduation, Paige crafted communications for the beauty and banking industries. Craving space for creativity, she joined the small team that would reopen the congressionally designated National Children’s Museum. There, she played an integral role in establishing the museum’s brand, bringing it to life across digital channels, including social media, email, and advertising. After nearly eight years in DC, she decided it was time for a change of scenery. Having grown fond of the title Washingtonian, she made the cross-country move to Washington State. She landed in Seattle at Paxson Fay, where in true full circle fashion she is the architect of social media and public relations strategies for our architecture and design clients.
zoe mcphail
senior communications coordinator
zoe@paxsonfay.com
From San Francisco, California, Zoe moved to Seattle, Washington to pursue her undergraduate degree at the University of Washington. She graduated with a dual bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science. Shortly after graduation from UW, Zoe hopped across the pond to pursue her Master of Science in Urban Economics and Real Estate Finance at the London School of Economics. Focusing on Sustainable Development, she found herself drawn to adaptive reuse and preservation projects in the world of architecture and design. Building on prior marketing and social media experience, Zoe returned to the PNW in July of 2023 to work on social media strategy and content creation for clients at Paxson Fay.
martina povolo
communications assistant
martina@paxsonfay.com
Martina joined the Paxson Fay team as an intern when she was a senior at the University of Washington. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Interest Communications, Martina is now continuing with the team as a Communications Assistant. During her time at UW, Martina worked as the Special Sections Editor at the university’s newspapers where she won multiple awards for her front page spreads. Looking to blend her minors in real estate and environmental science with her focus in communications, Martina is passionate and excited to join the Paxson Fay team.
tara lyons
communications assistant
tara@paxsonfay.com
With roots in Napa and Denver, Tara ventured to the Pacific Northwest to pursue her academic journey at the University of Washington, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Education. Tara's love for writing began when she delved into songwriting, building on her pre-existing passion for singing and playing the piano. Following her undergraduate years, she returned to Paxson Fay, where she had previously interned, transitioning into the role of Communications Assistant. With a keen interest in PR and social media, Tara seamlessly integrates her creative flair into the professional realm. Outside of work, you'll find Tara passionately supporting the Kraken, embodying her love for both storytelling and sports.
We are hiring for our internship program! We are looking for an intern with a passion for design to help manage key communication channels. Click here to read more.
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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.
