Last updated on May 27th, 2024 at 02:41 pm
Renton, Washington, offers people a variety of services and utilities for their enjoyment and convenience. From the several attraction sites and destination spots to the fancy restaurants, up to the accessible transportation system, guests and locals alike are free to indulge in whatever they like. Another great feature about the city is its love for green spaces, which are great for friends or families looking for healthy bonding. The city is also a hub for industrial and commercial businesses, housing a large Boeing assembly plant, a number of technological institutions, and wide-scale medical facilities.
With these amenities and sectors, citizens can enjoy the luxury of living within the city. Guests are looking to settle into the place, while locals are opting to upgrade their lifestyle through better residential spaces. Choosing and building homes can be hard, especially for first-time owners. That’s why our editors have compiled a list of the best residential architects in Renton, Washington, to assist clients with their residential needs. These firms have been chosen for their standing in the industry, their deep backgrounds, their awards, and their expertise.
Miller Hull
71 Columbia, 6th Floor, Seattle, WA 98104
Miller Hull is defined by its architectural approach, which involves designing with the building’s context always in mind. That perspective allows the firm to provide services that add value to the building and its surrounding area. Miller Hull also provides sustainable designs as it believes in environmentally sound architecture. The firm’s work has been recognized with several honors such as multiple AIA Committee on the Environment Awards, certified Living Buildings, and the title of the Top Firm for Sustainability from Architect Magazine. The firm has also been accredited by associations, such as FAIA, LEED Platinum/Gold/Silver, and DBIA. The firm has been serving the state for over 45 years and is still pushing itself to hone its craft.
We decided to feature Sky Ranch, a caretaker’s unit outfitted with stylistic details and practical elements. The project is situated on top of a warehouse that allows the users to enjoy a scenic view of both the active Marina that is below the complex and the distant mountain range. The unit was designed to provide a functional space where users could reconnect with each other despite its industrial location. It acts as an imaginative unit where social and connective opportunities support its users. Due to its unique design and intention, the project won a Housing Award, a Western Homes | Honorable Mention, and a Future Shack Award.
Baylis Architects
10801 Main Street, Suite #110, Bellevue, WA 98004
Baylis Architects as shaped Renton, contributing to its current state as a healthy, industrialized yet historic landscape. With over 50 years of service to the city, Baylis Architects has seen the times change and has devoted itself to evolving with the area in terms of style, approach, and services. As an experienced and dependable firm, it employs methods and designs that pay tribute to the context of the land and the users.
During its 50 years in the business, the firm has managed to win several awards, including Luxe Interiors + Design’s Gold List, multiple Best of Bellevue Architect and Best of 425 Architect, and Gold Nugget Awards. The firm has also been certified by a number of industry organizations, including NAHB, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, and USGBC.
Pavilion in the Woods is a beautiful residence that is situated on a beautiful landscape. This project embodies the firm’s sustainable practices as it employs natural materials within a natural environment. Surrounded by a grove of trees and plants, the home blends peacefully into the area around it. Year-round natural sunlight pours through most of the house.
The Kubala Washatko Architects
1724 NE 14th Street, Renton, WA 98056
For clients that are looking for a complete set of services when it comes to residential projects, The Kubala Washatko Architects is the firm for the job. As a full-service architect, the firm offers clients a diverse set of skills; its team of professionals is ready to handle any project a client might need. The firm’s design philosophy ensures that the developed space enhances human interactions and systems.
Leading the firm are its founders and principal architects, Tom Kubala, FAIA, and Allen Washatko, AIA. They both have outstanding histories that involve impressive educations and substantial experience. They have decades of service as architects and have worked on various projects that have honed their skills in the industry. Together, they have great chemistry in leading the firm and managing its operations, as well as displaying effective architecture. Both have earned certifications and awards throughout their careers.
TKWA Seattle is a fine example of what the firm is able to deliver to its clients. This space serves as a center for design operations between the United States and China. It includes several sustainable features, including a photovoltaic energy system, exposure to natural light, and recycled materials. It also has a beautiful view of the nearby lake and mountains.
Clark | Barnes
1401 West Garfield Street, Seattle, WA 98119
What separates Clark | Barnes from other firms is its strict adherence to upholding a culture that lasts not only within its company but throughout its entire portfolio of projects and the communities they reside in. The firm has a passion for developing spaces that connect the history of an area to its modern structures. It does this to allow a place’s culture to continue on without fading throughout the changing times. The firm’s architectural approach is characterized by the thorough planning it provides from pre-construction to finishing touches. Its residential projects typically feature the styles of mid-century, classic, modern, and contemporary, but it can adjust its style to better suit a client’s dream home.
Featured is Surfer’s Retreat, an accomplished residential project within a natural environment. With its scenic backdrop and carefully selected materials, the home resonates with the surrounding landscape. The home features a dark color scheme, which accentuates the residence’s calm atmosphere throughout its interior and exterior.
Gelotte Hommas Drivdahl Architecture
2340 130th Avenue NE, Suite #100, Bellevue, WA 98005
Gelotte Hommas Drivdahl Architecture considers itself an artist within the industry. It believes that fine architecture comes from an artistic approach that centers a project’s value and beauty. Those priorities will, the firm feels, consistently deliver a uniquely wonderful space. The firm’s work has been present in the firm’s values and projects for over almost four decades now. The firm employs a team of craftspeople and designers that are all devoted to the art of architecture — these professionals work together to deliver any project for any client.
Showcased here is The Woods Outback, a contemporary home that resembles paintings on a canvas — a beautiful mix of conventional and modern elements in a natural setting. The residence features two primary home styles—a traditional theme for the exterior design and a contemporary style for the interior visuals. This home features these styles from the initial glance at its traditional pop and the subsequent atmosphere of the contemporary entry. The color combination includes brown hues that create a rich, secure feeling.
grouparchitect
1735 Westlake Avenue N, #200, Seattle, WA 98109
grouparchitect was established to be an architect that is concept-driven, goal-oriented, and flexible for its clients’ needs. The firm strictly follows its devised plan for its projects and only tweaks the details when necessary. The firm is also adamant about providing services and solutions that result in personalized spaces for its clients. The firm’s scope of projects includes a wide variety of sizes and shapes, and it is capable of taking on any project.
The firm has been certified by the AIA, ABC, CRAN, and LEED AP. It has also been featured in issues of Architizer Contemporist, Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, and Revista Living. These recognitions and features serve as testaments to the firm’s capabilities in residential architecture.
Clyde Hill Remodel is one of the firm’s best examples of an efficiently handled home. This residence is the result of a collaborative remodel service with the homeowners and their contractors. The service includes the addition of new home areas and features, including new ceilings, a courtyard, a water feature, and a large deck. Other service features include uplifted materials, custom fixtures, and high-end furniture.
Jackson | Main Architecture
311 1st Avenue S, Seattle, WA 98104
Jackson | Main Architecture is a client-driven firm that prioritizes the needs and satisfaction of its clients above all else. The firm achieves its goals by forming close, collaborative relationships with its customers and providing productive and responsive services that tackle their concerns. The firm offers a wide array of architectural services, but its expertise lies in modular designs. In fact, despite its relatively short business history of seven years, the firm has already been recognized as one of the top modular architects within the Northwest region and has won recognition for its modular designs and projects. The firm has also been certified by AIA, USGBC, EDAC, LEED AP, and LEED Architecture for Humanity.
The Griffith Residence is a large home that provides elegant living. The home features a predominantly traditional style, but also hints at other styles—the result is a completely unique design. There are bricks and stonework incorporated into the well-designed woodcraft on the exterior. Modern finishes were added to some amenities, including the outdoor pool and a golf course. This two-story home provides plenty of space for users to enjoy.
Urbal Architecture, PLLC.
1938 Fairview Avenue East, Suite #100, Seattle, WA 98102
Urbal Architecture, PLLC. has been in business since 2010 and has grown into a medium-sized business with operations in multiple states and cities around the country. The firm wants to make its services available wherever its clients require them. The firm has a strong track record, thanks to its team of experts that have extensive knowledge of the kinds of projects the firm handles and the services it provides.
Chad Lorentz, AIA, is the principal architect and man-in-charge of the firm. He earned his architectural degrees from the University of Minnesota and eventually, the University of Washington, so he’s well-equipped with the styles and designs within the state and beyond. He also studied abroad to deepen his knowledge. His work as an architect has flourished; many of his projects are award-winning spaces both locally and nationally. Thanks to his experience, he leads the firm in its architectural services.
Photo by Nathaniel Willson
Rooftop Oasis was initially constructed to be a mid-century rambler unit in one of Seattle’s most prominent neighborhoods. With the firm’s help, however, a second floor was added with its own floor plan, and the entire home was renovated; the result is a fresh, contemporary home that meets modern standards in design. The design connects the indoors to the outdoors, and that blend is further complemented by its natural color palette. Its other amenities include a basement, a lounge space, a cozy fire pit, and an expansive deck on the roof.
Medici Architects
11671 SE 1st Street, Suite #302, Bellevue, WA 98005
Medici Architects is a dedicated architect in pursuit of providing accomplished projects that provide inspiration and shape meaningful experiences. These projects are defined by their diversity — a trait that reflects the firm’s clients throughout Washington and Idaho. With three decades’ worth of experience, the firm knows exactly how to work around its clients’ problems in order to produce customized, unique projects. It is a full-service architect, which means it includes the full range of architecture from design to administration. The firm will complete your project under budget and on time.
NE 1st Street in Bellevue is a wonderful modern home in a vibrant neighborhood. This single-family project has a sleek design with clean-cut corners, effectively leveled stories and areas, and asymmetrical geometric shapes that resemble standard modern styles. It features mostly muted colors of gray and brown but has some pops of white for contrast. The home is divided into multiple segments that are positioned irregularly throughout the geometric layout.
Motionspace Architecture + Design, PLLC.
3104 Western Avenue #107, Seattle, WA 98121
Motionspace Architecture + Design, PLLC. takes pride in helping clients visualize their dream space, and then turning their creativity into real-world homes. It is a small firm that focuses on each project so that its clients’ goals are achieved through close collaboration and attentive communication. It believes that each project has its own identity and its own character, which is the utmost care is required in finishing a space. For 16 years, the firm has been providing high-performance services and high-quality projects. Members of the firm are accredited by NCARB and LEED.
Pictured here is New View Home in Kennydale, a large home with a timeless design and efficient practicality. With several other homes being developed in the neighborhood, the firm decided to design New View Home as a competitive space that would outshine the surrounding structures. Featuring a modern style that utilizes mainly wooden materials, the home’s atmosphere exhibits an elegant and relaxing feeling. The home has multiple floors that consist of the different home areas: the kitchen and dining space, the living rooms, the family rooms, and the bedrooms. They are all connected via an elevator and stairs. The home also features 180° views of nearby Lake Washington.
Suzanne Zahr
2441 76th Avenue SE, Suite #160, Mercer Island, WA 98040
Suzanne Zahr is a one-stop-shop for clients that are looking for architectural and design-build services. Thanks to its broad scope of services and a passion for guidance and development, the firm is a pillar within its community. The firm’s passion and humanistic approach come from its owner and leader, Suzanne Zahr. She has a background that includes community service, architectural excellence, and artistic creativity; her virtues serve as the foundation of her firm’s values and principles. Under her guidance, the firm works in multiple markets, including residential, retail, and corporate. The firm has earned AIA and NAHB certifications and has been featured in The Business Journals and Mercer Island Reporter.
The firm’s portfolio offers a wide variety of projects which could serve as inspiration for interested customers. The Niederman Residence, a beautiful interpretation of traditional elements within a contemporary style, is a good example. The three-story home has plenty of natural wood in its frame and foundation. The use of the material is subtle and accentuated by the monochromatic colors of black and white. The interior is contemporary, with designs, furnishings, and touches that cut above modern standards. It has a long, undivided floor plan that creates close connections with family members.
Milbrandt Architects
25 Central Way, Suite #210, Kirkland, WA 98033
Milbrandt Architects delivers projects that are personalized and effective. The firm is dependable, sincere, and passionate about its craft and its goals. What really separates the firm from its peers is its unmatched commitment to pursuing perfection in its projects and its integrity in paying tribute to an area’s history and culture. Its services include everything from initial design concepts and planning to execution and finishing phases.
The firm has been in service of the state of Washington for over 41 years, and it has been repeatedly featured in a number of publications, including The Urbanist Builder Magazine, The Business Journals, and Multifamily Executive Magazine.
Featured is Barbee Mill, the amalgamation of the unique perspectives of both the clients and the firm’s specialized team. The resulting project is a single-family residence that conveys picturesque views and memorable experiences. This is a 21st-century home perfectly integrated with the natural surroundings. The airy entryways bring in plenty of natural light.
JW Architects
1257 S King Street, Seattle, WA 98144
JW Architects, as an architect, exemplifies client convenience as a key factor in successful projects. It reassures its clients’ interests by providing services that benefit them and provide comfort. The accomplished projects are finished under budget, right on schedule, and progressive. The firm’s always open line of communication allows clients to address their concerns during any phase of the architectural process. The firm’s flexible working period can fit nicely into any client’s timetable. The firm avoids disrupting a client’s schedule and adjusts whenever a client is able to cooperate with its team.
Mercer Island 46th is a 21st-century home with a fresh and trendy design for clients with an eye for lavish benchmarks. This residence has an expansive and light floor plan that creates a great mix of indoor comfort and outdoor pleasure for its users. Several portions of the home, more prominently in the bedrooms, have vaulted ceilings due to the structure of its butterfly roofs. This feature creates an airy atmosphere.
UPWARD Architecture & Interiors
815 Seattle Boulevard S, Suite #321, Seattle, WA 98134
As indicative of its name, UPWARD Architecture & Interiors’ resolve lies in uplifting spaces and positively influencing its clients’ lives. The firm believes that architecture isn’t just about designing projects for increased charm and atmosphere; it’s about forming transformative spaces that enhance its users’ lifestyles and motivation. The firm has earned AIA certification and has been recognized and it has been featured by the Daily Journal of Commerce.
The Cedar River Bluff Residence is a new home that is settled on a green landscape. With all the surrounding natural elements, the home’s atmosphere is reminiscent of an earthy and tranquil setting. The nearby Cedar River provides a beautiful scenic backdrop; the immersive framework of the residence allows canopy-filtered sunlight to penetrate throughout the space. The home’s materials include an abundant amount of Pacific Northwest cedar.
