Architectural styles in Kirkland and the greater Seattle area often lean toward one goal: creating a sustainable way of living for residents. When you look at the history of architecture in the area, each style connects with nature in its own way, evolving from the architectural styles that have come before. Mid-century modern housing features grand windows that serve to provide homeowners with the ability to admire the landscape from the comfort of their living room or bedroom. Contemporary architectural styles take that goal a step further and serve to connect the indoors and outdoors in a meaningful, concrete way. Beyond these two styles, sustainable architecture brings the goal of connecting with nature to the forefront. Kirkland real estate built in this style works to greatly reduce the impact that residents have on the environment. Keep reading to find out more details about the types of architectural styles in Kirkland neighborhoods.
1. Mid-century modern
When exploring the different types of architectural styles in Kirkland neighborhoods, you are likely to find mid-century modern homes. Kirkland houses built in the mid-century modern style often take the design principles of the mid-century modern style and upgrade them to fit current needs for functionality. The wooden features of mid-century houses are often left as-is, or restored in order to retain the charm of the older architecture. These wooden features also provide a link to the woodlands of the Pacific Northwest. The large windows of mid-century modern homes allow owners to seamlessly link together the outdoors and indoors of the home. Mid-century modern homes fit the needs of many families today, who are looking for design appeal mixed with increased functionality. Because of the functionality built into the homes when they were originally constructed, it is often a fairly easy task to upgrade them to meet the needs of today while still retaining the main aspects of their design.
2. Contemporary
Stemming out from the mid-century modern style, you will also find Kirkland houses that have been built in the contemporary style. Once again fitting with the beauty and tranquility of the Pacific Northwest, the contemporary style also serves to connect the indoor and outdoor spaces of your home. This seamless connection allows for homes to feel more spacious and ready for entertaining. Contemporary architecture takes the connection to nature a step further than the mid-century modern style, often featuring natural components within the home such as bamboo floors, granite countertops, and green plants used as living roofs. These homes also make use of as much natural lighting as possible, featuring the large windows of mid-century modern style and also including skylights. The more lavish contemporary homes make use of the outdoors as an extension of the indoors. These homes often feature entire outdoor entertaining experiences that include kitchens with refrigerators and drawers for keeping food warm. They may also feature an entire outdoor room for a casual get-together surrounding an outdoor fireplace.
3. Sustainable architecture
As a natural evolution from contemporary architecture, many pieces of Kirkland real estate are built using sustainable architecture. Sustainable architecture is meant to limit the impact that humans have on nature and has been evolving for the last 50 years. This type of architecture is not limited to the homes that are produced. The principles of the style apply to the entire process, from the planning that happens before construction, to the implementation of utilities throughout the construction of the home. Throughout the design and planning process, homeowners and architects often choose to design based on the use of sustainable alternatives to materials that are typically used to build homes, including hempcrete in place of concrete, or bioplastics in place of typically made plastics.
The main goal for Kirkland homes built in the sustainable architecture style is to net zero, or consume the same amount of energy, or less, as they produce. This requires the use of renewable energy including solar panels and natural means of heating and cooling the home. You will often see these homes making use of different types of greenery. This serves two purposes — to provide insulation to cool the home, and to help the home integrate into the landscape.
Sustainable architecture is still evolving to this day and is looking toward a future of regenerative architecture over simply sustainable. It would not be a stretch to imagine that in the near future, Kirkland real estate will be built in this restorative nature.
4. Apartments and condos
While single-family Kirkland homes often lean into mid-century modern and contemporary styles, many of the apartments and condos in Kirkland make use of sustainable architecture and help create a luxurious living situation for residents. Many of the apartments and condos are built to provide residents the best of both worlds, one of city living and conveniences, while also serving as a relaxing, mindful getaway at the end of your day. These multi-family pieces of Kirkland real estate are designed and built to provide residents with the modern conveniences and amenities often found only in custom single-family homes.
Work with Jeff Reynolds to find the home of your dreams
Now that you have learned about the type of architectural styles in Kirkland, you may find yourself wanting to live there yourself. When you want to find the perfect piece of Kirkland real estate, whether it is a single-family home or a condo, you want to work with a real estate professional who will have your best interests in mind throughout the process. You will want to work with a real estate agent who has experience in the local market and has worked in many aspects of the real estate industry. Jeff Reynolds is an expert in the Seattle luxury real estate and condo market. He has more than 18 years of experience in the greater Seattle market. Reach out to Jeff directly when you are ready to start looking for your dream home in Kirkland, Washington.