When Gay Silvestri and Ted Kadet bought their 1960s house on Seattle’s Lake Washington, it cried pink from top to bottom. Pink tiles conducted underfoot, and the previous homeowners had painted the ceiling beams pink to match. Gay asked her longtime friend James Spicuzza, a salvage artist and thought consultant, to assist with remodeling.
The first thing Spicuzza did was rip out the pink flooring and replace it with remnants of utility-grade maple floors. He then sanded the first beams and painted them a contemporary charcoal gray. The few enjoys an open-plan great room, refurbished structural elements and an updated color palette, all while shooting in a stunning view of the lake.
in a Glance
Who lives here: Gay Silvestri, her husband Ted Kadet, along with boy Colin Silvestri
Location: Seattle
Size: 2,800 square feet
That is interesting: The wall panels in the upper toilet are surplus fluted, titanium-impregnated elevator panels.
Louise Lakier
The open program welcomes beautiful views of Lake Washington. A yellow chandelier found at a garage sale brightens the stairway. The milk glass world over the exterior deck is out of REStore.
Louise Lakier: Where’s your favorite spot or room in the house?
Gay Silvestri: My favourite spot is the entrance walkway with the waterfall and koi. Favourite room? The upstairs-downstairs wall of windows into the water. The opinion is always different and a surprise to see and revel in through all kinds of seasons and weather — even the superb humid or gloomy days.
Ted Kadet: My absolute favourite spot is the great room overlooking the windows in Lake Washington.
Louise Lakier
The remodeling team eliminated an entrance cupboard blocking the opinion, reconfigured the staircase and altered front doorway to align with the entrance walkway. Spicuzza installed and designed the light utilizing copper pipe so that it disappears against the timber ceiling out of Pacific Iron & Metal.
LL: What is your next home project?
GS: No fresh ones, thank you … only to complete the present ones. Both decks, for certain, are first.
TK: Yes, another home project is to complete the new deck rail on the upper deck.
Louise Lakier
A drop ceiling has been eliminated in the hall that contributes to a bedroom beyond, showing beautiful wood beams and ceilings. Superior Custom Cabinets constructed the cabinetry, along with the corrugated glass on the island pub is out of Earthwise. The classic bar stools are garage sale finds.
Louise Lakier
The narrow space between the staircase and outside window glass introduced a furnishing challenge, however an elongated oval dining table and chairs proved to be the best answer. Spicuzza constructed the standing lamp from the background out of three salvaged table lamps from Goodwill. A closed clothing stand from Nordstrom, also found at Goodwill, got a second life as a TV stand.
Louise Lakier
The hanging wall shelf and image display on the rear wall are created from repurposed Ikea bed stretchers. The downstairs walls were sandblasted to reveal original concrete; the present brick fireplace has been sandblasted as well. The sandstone mantel and fireplace screen came from Secondly Utilization.
Louise Lakier
Salvaged glass walls from Second Utilization form horizontal wall panels in the guest toilet. The shower tile is also from Secondly Utilization.
Louise Lakier
Surplus titanium-impregnated elevator panels out of Forms & Surfaces cover the walls of Colin’s toilet. A aluminum and glass commercial entrance door doubles as a shower partition. The quartzite stone flooring, fluorescent tube mirror light, toilet paper holder, salvaged spray head and robe hook are from Secondly Utilization.
Louise Lakier
Pacific Iron and Metal provided the 8-inch galvanized duct to the double bath exhaust fan on the upper floor. Spicuzza made the custom made grill.
Louise Lakier
Colin is an avid climber. Rope knots on surface of the stair wall and include a colorful sculptural element.
Louise Lakier
Spicuzza also creates art from found objects, along with his sculptures appear throughout Gay and Ted’s home. This “Cat 5 Slideshow” is produced from a slide, an espresso machine grate along with a low-voltage LED light mounted on a wooden base.
Parts and bits: 3R and Goodwill
Louise Lakier
Spicuzza created this “Walking Slide Show” from items found in Goodwill: alloy slide trays, wood sneakers, a curling iron tray and a Plexiglas disk.
LL: Which one of those discovered art bits is your favorite?
GS: The first art piece [Spicuzza] hung above our fireplace the day we began the remodel. He bought it at Goodwill for $1! He introduced it to us our home would feel like a house, even though all was being hammered. The day before we moved in, 1 year after, we carefully cleaned it off and rehung it by ceremonial acclaim along with a little bit of vino as well. It remains very unique.
TK: The piece made from slide projector trays and shoehorns. It’s just whimsical.
Louise Lakier
Spicuzza constructed this vinyl rocket ship out of elements found at Secondly Utilization and Goodwill. It’s made from a vinyl record turntable, a dim sum steamer tray, marbles, two recycled glass pendant shades, a copper plant holder along with recycled bearings.
Louise Lakier
Humpty Dumpty, a garage sale find, sits on a wall in the entrance to the main hallway.
Louise Lakier
At the end of a cantilevered counter stands a leg support. Gay wanted a leg so James discovered this for her in a garage sale.
Louise Lakier
“Pick Up Sticks,” a relief sculpture, is made from salvaged materials, including detachable wood window dividers, a hollow-core doorway, gray landscape cloth and 1970s chandelier glass.
LL: Do you have a favourite designer or artist?
TK: My favourite artist is local sculptor Gerard Tsutakawa.
Louise Lakier
A landscape and pool architect put in this enchanting courtyard. The fluted glass sidelight by front door came out of REstore, and the transom glass is first.
Louise Lakier
Upon walking up to the inviting front entrance gate, guests are greeted with the sound of trickling, bubbling water and amazing filtered light on the way to the front doorway.
LL: What is the first thing you’d grab if your house was on fire?
TK: Assuming all people, for example cat Bocelli, are outside, I would catch the Bill Cumming football picture along with my wallet.
GS: After taking a head check to include our cat, I’d grab my purse, telephone and address book, so as to not lose touch with buddies.
Louise Lakier
James replicated the first column detailing when refurbishing the eave rafter tails across the sides of the home.
LL: What do you love most about your city or your neighborhood?
GS: I love that we live in a “secret pocket” of Seattle with great views.
TK: The area: the diversity of people and that it is near the airport.
Louise Lakier
Gay and James like a moment in their courtyard garden.
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