Lisa Staton strives to create memorable spaces—but without compromising on comfort.

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“A huge piece of my firm’s narrative is to design cozy, put-your-feet-up spaces where cats and puppies are welcomed on the sofa,” says the Seattle-based Expert. Having just marked 20 years in business, an unwavering set of values has underpinned her approach for the past two decades: “The hallmarks are warm, edited, layered, highly livable, stylish and collaborative of place, time, and the people who live there,” she explains.

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Never straying into maximalist territory, the restrained elegance of Lisa’s vision is what appealed to the owners of this Seattle Craftsman. Bought by a pair of Brooklynites—one of whom is a talented ceramicist—this serves as their summer vacation retreat.

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The property had been “modernized with a capital M,” laughs Lisa. The previous owners installed a steel staircase to optimize the light flow across the property’s top floors, creating a sharp juxtaposition of styles. “The challenge was to re-traditionalize the ground floor and have it wink to the aesthetic of their New York brownstone while allowing for a contemporary feel to roll up through the rest of the house,” she says. The answer? “We cashmere-sweater-softened the whole thing with a creamy white paint.” (For those curious: she used Alabaster by Sherwin-Williams.)

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Establishing a beautiful entrance sequence was another priority, followed by reinstating original features. A subtle but authentic detail is in the kitchen, where the intricate dental moldings around the range hood and newly installed window frames recall those in the entry. The kitchen cabinets are painted in Dimity by Farrow & Ball—a shade Lisa rates for being “on the pink side of neutral”—while the handsome island was specified in walnut to make it feel more like a piece of free-standing furniture. Sourcing lighting is one of the designer’s favorite pursuits; throughout the house is a mix of rare, vintage finds (such as the Barovier & Toso pendants over the island) and pieces made in small batches by East Coast workshops.

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To provide a hint of color downstairs, stained glass separates the kitchen from the dining room. Cleverly installed as the panels of a custom cabinet, its artisanal nature appealed to the potter of the house. Along the hall, Lisa leaned into the school of thought that a powder room can be a universe of its own: olive green paired with House of Hackney’s Plantasia wallpaper was a quick, unanimous choice. “I would argue that it's a good example of layered, interesting, but not fussy or busy,” says Lisa, who based the copper sink on a design conceived for her own home.

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Upstairs, the colors become even more saturated to reflect the modernity of the staircase. The pottery studio’s walls are covered in a playful floral wallpaper by Josef Frank and the units are daubed in Dutch Orange by Farrow & Ball. In the bedroom, a pair of bespoke wall sconces and a rich tapestry tap into traditionalism in the absence of architectural features.

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The clients adore their new retreat. “We found the sweet spot of making sure the client's artistic voice was heard while ensuring that our talent could shine through the lens of their house,” says Lisa.

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