This Bellevue NW contemporary maxes out on the style

Maximize the northwest contemporary style and get something like this 1969 example. Natural materials are a natural choice, but this house pushes their limits to create a place that’s uniquely at home in the Pacific Northwest.

Cedar shake siding an equally pragmatic and aesthetic choice—at one point, old growth cedar was the norm. Here, the cedar shakes cover the siding, as well as wrap each pillar and post for an unbroken display.

The covered walkway builds on those, adds stout beam supports, and then combats gloom by capping the way with outdoor skylights.

Step inside and find the classic wood walls, ceilings, and floors. Exposed beams open interior expanses, keeping the feeling open and light. More light comes in through that other classic: walls of windows.

Include three fireplaces and it becomes just the right setting for sitting out a Seattle winter.

Four bedrooms and three bathrooms are, for the most part, a bit more conventional, although they have their own touches. One bedroom is made distinctive thanks to a brick-barrel vault of an entry, brickwork around a fireplace, and a door that looks braced to withstand a siege.

The basement is more modern-looking, as if the seed for an eventual remodel. Note the built-in bunk beds, giving kids access to an enormous play space.

There’s plenty of playing to do outdoors, too. The house sits on more than an acre. Having Bridle Trails State Park as a neighbor means an extra 482 acres and 28 miles of trails accessible practically from your backyard.

The price for the house and property is $1,495,000, just less than triple what it sold for almost twenty years ago. Only one way to find out what this classic will be worth in another twenty years.

• 12420 NE 39th St, Bellevue [CBB]
• 12420 NE 39th St, Bellevue [Zillow]