A stately Craftsman and its backyard cottage are listed separately in the Central District

Creating a condo association allowed a vintage home and a modern cottage to each become their own

By Sarah Anne Lloyd@sarahannelloyd Oct 24, 2018, 2:27pm PDT

A large, 1900s Craftsman and a brand-new little cottage are separate homes on the same lot.

Browsing real estate listings in Seattle’s Central District, two homes for sale may look odd at first: two standalone houses, one a big, classic Craftsman, another a little, modern cottage, listed as condos. But check the address—and notice that the house number’s the same—and the picture gets a little clearer.

During a remodel of the original, five-bedroom home, originally built in 1906, contractor Solid Rebuild added a little something extra with a 800-square-foot, one-bedroom cottage out back. Inspired by a need for more diverse housing in the city, rather than leaving it as an accessory dwelling unit, the project went a different route: creating a condo association. And since the

Today, both homes—both remodeled or built by Solid Rebuild, and with a few complementary features—are listed separately. The stately five-bedroom is asking $1.09 million, but it’s little sibling is about half the price, at $585,000. A smart use of the 4,480-square-foot lot gives both structures some wiggle-room and outdoor space.

The cottage has a more thin, modern design, surrounded by a fenced-in garden and patio. An open-concept living room gets light from large windows, despite facing the larger house. In the kitchen, mustard-colored subway tiles mixed with ones with a black, white, and gray motif add a pop of color.

The patterned tile patterns also accent the staircase to the bedroom, which opens up to a view balcony. The bathroom, located off the bedroom, has a long counter with two sinks and walk-in, tiled shower.

In the larger house, the recent remodel gives the interior a sleek, modern vibe while still highlighting the vintage features of the house, like the hardwoods, ceiling beams, and staircase with banister. The kitchen—which features some of the same tile from the cottage for a kind of cohesion—while open, is massive. New, stainless-steel appliances don’t draw too much focus from the design.

Throughout the home, period millwork and radiators have been preserved. Old-fashioned doors also help elevate the historic vibe, like a frosted-glass entry to the master bedroom. Some parts of the house have been made more thoroughly modern, though, like the master bath and the finished basement with bedroom and den.

Like the cottage, the house retains private, outdoor space—this time with a front lawn bounded by planting strips and a small garden off the back porch.