The Courtyard House

The Yoon family wanted to create a home where they could nest and pray in community. This vision of communal multi-generational living resulted in a 3,500 square foot courtyard house on Whidbey Island. The modern home was designed around a garden that acts as a visual and functional focal point.

Rendering by Aris Georges of OM Studio Design

The courtyard acts as a piece of fixed art, constantly changing with different seasons and times of the day, and allows for natural light to penetrate the communal areas inside.

Floor Plan

The U-shape plan orients southwest to maximize solar gain and views in the usually overcast climate of the Pacific Northwest. The large communal great room has an oversized kitchen island, perfect for Mrs. Yoon and her family to get together for meals, as is their long family tradition.

The ground floor includes universal living standards to facilitate aging in place for the multi-generational house. A sunken tub in the master bath is a subtle nod to the traditional Asian style bathroom with a Pacific modern aesthetic twist.

The large overhangs on the SW facade help reduce the solar gain in the summer months while still allowing for natural light to flow into the house year-round.

Low Maintenance Exterior Siding

It was very important to the Yoon family to have the house be low maintenance yet warm and inviting at the same time. The exterior of the house is clad in monochromatic fiber cement siding, with varying textures to create interest.

The dark glulam beams with cedar ceiling liners on the interiors create a naturally warm and modern space. The interior color palette has naturally light tones that form a neutral backdrop for the colorful finishes.

A Vibrant Interior Design Palette

Together, we created a vibrant and dynamic space. The end result is an ode to their Korean heritage, filled with textures and patterns ranging from floral wallpapers to dual-tone kitchen cabinets and mosaic tiled floors.

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