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Lisa Staton Restored Craftsman Charm to This Seattle Home

Seattle Washington interior designer Lisa Stanton portrait
Lisa Staton (above, portrait by Belathée Photography) reimagined the interiors of a 100-year-old Craftsman-style home in Seattle, where the New England–born designer has lived for the past two decades. Top: A pair of vintage Murano glass pendant lights add a sense of history to the redone kitchen. Interiors photos by Andrew Giammarco

Even though designer Lisa Staton has lived in the Seattle area for more than two decades, she still roots her interiors in the historic aesthetic vernacular she grew up surrounded by on the East Coast. These origins have deeply informed the native Bostonian’s inspirations and decorative penchants —  her love of antiques, vintage architecture and well-patinated finishes among them. But Staton also clearly finds much to love in the West’s laid-back lifestyle and blurred line between indoors and out. “People live more casually here, and we reflect that in our designs,” she says.

So, when a Brooklyn-based couple approached her about renovating their second residence, a 1920s-era Craftsman-style house in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, both the homeowners and Staton agreed they were a perfect match.

“They wanted to bring some of that New York character to Seattle,” Staton says of the clients, whose primary residence is a classic Brooklyn Heights brownstone. Originally from this corner of Washington State, the couple visits Seattle with their children several times a year, during summer vacation and holidays. 

Staton says she saw the architectural bones of the Seattle house as key to the interior design. “Our job was to restore some of the traditional elements that had been stripped away during previous renovations” — while at the same time creating rooms that felt edited, contemporary and calm.

A balance between old and new is evident throughout the home, as is the push-pull between East Coast formality and Western comfort that defines all Staton’s projects. 

View of dining room seen from opening in kitchen cabinets in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton
A pair of new built-in storage cabinets create an attractive portal between the kitchen and dining room, where a Murano glass chandelier from the 1930s hangs over a 1960s teak table and chairs. The stained-glass panels of the cabinets’ upper doors were made by artisan Erin Crosby, whose Crosby Glass Studio is located about an hour up the coast from Seattle.

Staton made significant changes to the interiors to temper a decor that had lost its sense of history. Over the years, the home had been fairly aggressively modernized, with steel staircases and contemporary finishes. She redesigned the primary set of stairs to re-create the original wooden one, vestiges of which remained on the main level. In its restored form, Staton explains, it knits the home “together, in the way you might see in an English house with modern additions layered onto tradition.”

One of the earliest moves Staton made to recapture some of the home’s historic character involved the fireplace, which became a touchstone for the entire design narrative. “They had this beautiful marble mantel in Brooklyn, and they wanted to echo that authenticity here,” the designer says of her clients. “We found an antique on 1stDibs that looked as if it could have been original to the living room. That one seemingly small choice really anchored the rest of the design.”

Throughout the house, Staton focused on outfitting the rooms with newly acquired, but not necessarily new, finds that complemented the Craftsman architecture, such as the kitchen’s sculptural vintage Murano glass pendant lights and the stained-glass doors of the cabinets forming a partition between the kitchen and the dining room. She also selected natural materials and finishes, like the cotton velvet covering the sofas in the living room. 

Primary bathroom in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton
The creamy hues and natural wood tones of the home’s public spaces continue into the primary suite’s dressing room and bath. Staton collaborated with builder Matt King, of Mercer Island, Washington’s King Construction, on the home’s renovation.

The resulting decor displays the seemingly effortless mix of old and new that Staton has perfected in projects up and down the West Coast. “When I first moved out here, clients were investing their money in modern houses. They weren’t so into the historic gems. But I’ve seen a real return to loving these more traditional houses that feel comfortable and welcoming,” she says. “This project is high-end, yes, but it doesn’t scream luxury. It says, ‘Please, sit down. Stay awhile.’ ”

Here, she invites Introspective to linger in its rooms.


Entry

Entryway with stair hall in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

“We wanted the entry to set the tone for everything that follows,” Staton says. An antique brass-and-glass pendant from 1stDibs and a vintage Turkish rug from the 1920s create an immediate sense of history and serenity. Walls and trim in Sherwin-Williams Alabaster reinforce the feeling of quiet. The floors, while new, were rendered in oak to exactly match the original. “The clients are really warm and welcoming people who exude calmness, but there’s a playfulness that always includes things like beautiful French tablecloths, handmade ceramics and a desire to feed and nourish everyone,” Staton says.


Living Room

Living room with white marble fireplace and antique mirror above in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

The clients wanted a main living area “that was sculptural but soft,” Staton says. A vintage 1920s Turkish Oushak rug anchors the space, while a custom moss-green velvet English-style sofa and a pair of 1940s Swedish armchairs invite lounging. The marble mid-century modern coffee table, sourced through 1stDibs, and the early-1900s Italian mantel echo the classic style of their Brooklyn home. Sconces from Lumfardo LuminaIres, made of brass and glass, complete the picture.


Dining Room

Dining room with mid-century-modern teak table and chairs and Murano glass chandelier above in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton. View to kitchen through stain-glass-fronted cabinets

“This is where the house becomes more layered,” says Staton, who paired Niels Koefoed chairs with a teak Finn Juhl for France & Søn table, all from the 1960s. Hanging above, a Murano glass chandelier from the 1930s adds a hint of glamour. Holland & Sherry sheer wool drapes lend softness to the space, while stained-glass cabinet doors by Erin Crosby, of Crosby Glass Studio introduce an artisanal touch. “Since there are already so many organic elements in the house, with the stained glass, we leaned into colors that spoke to the clients. It balances out the monochromatic nature of the project, but it doesn’t hit you over the head.” 


Kitchen

Kitchen with richly veined black and white marble counters and backsplash and ivory-painted cabinets in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

“We designed the island to feel like a furniture piece,” says Staton, who credits Lauren Galeotti, a designer on her team, with the concept. “And there’s a gutsiness to the marble” used for the counters and backsplash. The cabinetry is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Dimity, paired with brass hardware. Of the early 20th-century Murano pendants above, the designer says, “They’re a little fancy, but also organic, which makes them just right for Seattle.” A Le Cornue range and antique stools round out the mix.


Breakfast Nook

Breakfast nook with simple wooden oval table and mid-century chairs and banquette in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

The breakfast corner — which, Staton says, “serves as a space for the family to connect over coffee and meals” — opens to the garden and feels like a casual extension of the kitchen. Placed beneath a DBO Home pendant light, the simple white-oak oval pedestal table is flanked by a custom banquette and vintage Bruno Rey for Kusch+Co chairs newly outfitted with bespoke cushions.


Primary Bedroom

Primary bedroom with European tapestry above the wooden bed in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

“Upstairs, the house feels a little more modern,” says Staton, who reduced the use of antique-style millwork, like crown moldings, on the second floor. With its views over the trees, the primary bedroom brings a sense of nature indoors. More Lumfardo sconces are mounted over small custom Italian bedside tables, while an antique tapestry adds a worldly touch. “It’s edited but still layered in a European way,” she says of the decor.


Pottery Studio

Pottery studio with yellow-painted lower cabinets, floral wallpaper and a mid-century desk in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

One of the homeowners is an avid ceramist, who wanted a studio that inspired creativity while feeling a little unexpected. The stylized floral wallpaper — based on a 1940s design by Josef Frank — injects a colorful whimsy. “We leaned into the Gustavian influences of the interior and brought in walnut shelves and Shaker-style cabinetry, which feels humble and handmade,” says Staton.


Powder Room

Powder room with with moody botanical scenic wallpaper n a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

“The clients had looked at hundreds of wallpapers, but this one from House of Hackney hit the mark immediately,” Staton says. Outfitted with a tiny hammered sink, custom paneling and Watermark fixtures from Brooklyn, the space is a moody jewel box. Hwang Bishop lights and a vintage mirror complete the vignette.


Basement

Basement with large blue corner sectional sofa, low wooden circular coffee table, white shag rug and floral wallpaper in a house in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood designed by Lisa Staton

“While the ceilings in the basement are low, we were able to nestle in a little guest zone, including a bathroom, kitchenette and workout room and managed to have some fun with the wallpaper,” says Staton. “The Camerich sofa is one hundred percent linen and stuffed with down feathers. It’s a spot for everyone to just collapse right into.” A custom coffee table and a contemporary reissue of a William Morris floral wallpaper give the space additional personality.

Get the Look

Italian Chairs, 1950s
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Italian Chairs, 1950s
Barovier&Toso Murano Glass Chandelier, 1960s
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Barovier&Toso Murano Glass Chandelier, 1960s
Bertha Schaefer for Singer & Sons Table Set, 1960s
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Bertha Schaefer for Singer & Sons Table Set, 1960s
Turkish Oushak Rug, 1910s
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Turkish Oushak Rug, 1910s
Lumfardo Luminaires LUchiere Sconce, New
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Lumfardo Luminaires LUchiere Sconce, New
Ralph Rapson for Knoll Lounge Chairs,1945
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Ralph Rapson for Knoll Lounge Chairs,1945
Murano Glass Leaf Pendant, 1960
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Murano Glass Leaf Pendant, 1960
Bruno Rey for Kush & Co Stacking Chairs Model 3300, 1971
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Bruno Rey for Kush & Co Stacking Chairs Model 3300, 1971
Flemish Verdure Tapestry, 17th Century
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Flemish Verdure Tapestry, 17th Century
Lumfardo Luminaires ShiLU Sconce, New
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Lumfardo Luminaires ShiLU Sconce, New

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