London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 20, 2025

Hilltop House by Robert Hutchison Architecture

Hilltop House by Robert Hutchison Architecture

Robert Hutchison Architecture transforms a 1950s dwelling by modernist Wendell Lovett into a functional family home that respects the Pacific Northwest landscape.

The Hilltop Community in Bellevue, Washington, has deep connections to the Pacific Northwest. Built near Seattle in the 1950s by a small group that included many local architects, the residential development was established to provide its residents with a sense of community and a strong relationship to the landscape.



This carefully renovated 1950s home is located in the Hilltop Community, which features a collection of residences designed by Pacific Northwest architects including Wendell Lovett, Paul H. Kirk, and Fred Bassetti.

"There are approximately 40 houses that make up the community, all of them designed with a contemporary aesthetic and a thoughtful connection to site," explains architect Robert Hutchison, whose eponymous firm is based in Seattle. Among those homes is a 1954 residence by Pacific Northwest architect Wendell Lovett, who was born in Seattle and became known for his nature-oriented midcentury designs.

When Kasey LeClercq and her husband, Nick, first saw the Hilltop House, it was love at first sight. "We knew it was the place for us [from] the first time we set foot inside," declares Kasey.



Seattle-based Robert Hutchison Architecture worked with the homeowners to design an addition to the residence that respects its original post-and-beam construction.

Kasey, a certified yoga instructor, and Nick, a builder and general contractor, loved how the home managed to feel cozy and open at the same time. The couple were also captivated by how the midcentury house incorporated-and respected-the verdant Pacific Northwest landscape. "We knew we wanted to be here for a long, long time," says Kasey. So, from the very beginning, it was extremely important to the homeowners to create a functional layout that could grow with their family.



A pre-renovation peek at the west end of the Hilltop House, which was expanded by approximately 300 square feet to create more space for the owners’ young children.



The original 1950s entryway garden, which welcomes residents and guests to the home, has remained unchanged over the years.

Prior to the 2019 renovation, the single-floor home featured three bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as an open kitchen, dining, and living area. There was also a detached garage connected to the structure by a breezeway, in addition to a large, open room at the west end of the residence. While the original layout worked sufficiently for Kasey, Nick, their two young children, and their dog Buba, the couple eventually decided that the west wing felt underutilized and isolated from the rest of the house.



The 1954 Wendell Lovett home featured ample glass windows to create multiple sight lines from the interior spaces to the outdoors.



The original west wing of the residence could be separated from the dining area using Japanese shoji-style partitions.



The 2,890-square-foot renovated home is nestled in the Hilltop Community near Seattle, which Kasey describes as "a secluded gem with sprawling greenery and spectacular views."

To rethink the layout of that area, Kasey and Nick called upon Hutchison, who quickly determined a way to retain many of the home’s original elements while also updating the floor plan to suit the family’s needs.

Kasey and Nick were adamant about honoring Lovett’s original design, which incorporated exposed beams, wood roof decking, and multiple glass windows to create long sight lines through the residence. "What was most important to us was to preserve and expand the structural rhythm of the house, which is based on an eight-foot structural bay," Hutchison says.



"My favorite Lovett detail [is] the double-wood column adjoining the fireplace," says Hutchison. "It’s another simple, economical, and elegant detail that continues the theme of lightness throughout the house." The 2019 renovation of the Hilltop House maintained this feature.



Kasey and Nick chose to keep the long, reclaimed-marble countertop in the kitchen, which had been renovated by the previous owners of the 1954 Wendell Lovett home.



The interior spaces feature exposed wood beams, which were typical in Lovett’s homes.

With that in mind, Hutchison started making subtle adjustments throughout the home. The west end "became the obvious place to meet Nick and Kasey’s request for a new kids’ wing," notes the architect. The area offers privacy and separation from the primary bedroom but is still connected to the kitchen and living spaces at the core of the home. It also allows access to the yard, which serves as an extended play area.

Robert Hutchison Architecture expanded the original west end of the Hilltop House by about 300 square feet to accommodate a two-bedroom, one-bathroom suite for the children with a playroom that opens out onto a front deck. The east end of the house-which originally contained all three bedrooms-now holds a reconfigured primary bedroom and bathroom, as well as an additional bed and bath.



The expanded west end followed the existing layout and incorporated similar wood windows found elsewhere in the home. The children’s bedrooms now have direct access to the light-filled playroom, which opens to the front yard.



"Kasey and Nick brought their own voice through some of the specific interior finishes, such as the flooring in the mudroom and the wonderful wallpaper in the kids’ bathroom," explains Hutchison.



Wood paneling, floors, and other accents like the bathroom vanity continue the use of natural materials throughout the home.

"Architecturally and structurally, we tried to replicate the original materials," explains Hutchison. The subtle renovation incorporated elements such as wood windows and floors, painted drywall, and exposed roof rafters and decking. Hutchison was even able to extend the original roofline to the new kids’ wing, despite some challenges presented by requirements for thicker insulation in the current building code. (Hutchinson’s solution was to step up the roof thickness where the extra insulation was needed and keep the roof thin at the outdoor overhangs.)



The homeowners wanted to maintain "the midcentury principle of thoughtful design that brings the outside in," Kasey says. The couple worked with the architect to create a home "where everything has a use and isn’t more than you need," she continues.

Other structural updates to the Hilltop House include new cabinetry in the kitchen and a defined mudroom entry from the backyard. All in all, Kasey and Nick got exactly what they were looking for: A functional remodel that still feels loyal to the original 1950s home. "Even from the outside, every part of the remodel was in honor of the design that [Wendell Lovett] created," says Kasey. "The hope is that you wouldn’t be able to tell that there’s a contemporary addition."



The 2019 renovation was executed with a deep respect for Lovett’s design. "We really did not want to change the aesthetic of the home," says Kasey. "We simply wanted it to accommodate us a little better."



As you approach the Hilltop House from the covered breezeway that adjoins the garage, it is possible to see through the carefully placed windows to the greenery on the home’s other side.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
×