Architects: Sam & Calla Rodell, Sam Rodell Architects
There’s an intimacy and warmth to Sam and Calla Rodell’s home. From the modest-sized kitchen with its rich cherry wood cabinetry to the cozy sitting area that overlooks a natural habitat that is the Rodells’ yard, every space works together to create the classic, timeless look the two architects were going for when they built their home more than 15 years ago in Spokane.
“It has sort of a traditional character,” Sam says. “Calla was interested in a less austere interior, something a little warmer.”
This home doesn’t boast the usual open-concept floor plan. Instead, spaces are defined, intimate and purposeful. The house was inspired by the Rodells’ previous home in Spokane’s historic South Hill. Built in the turn of the century, it featured classical architecture including an impressive 36 columns.
“In this particular project, we were pretty heavily infl uenced by a home we were leaving,” Sam says.
The design style is timeless, yet functional. Almost two decades old, the kitchen could easily be mistaken as new. A butler’s pantry and numerous cabinets and drawers keep things organized and out of sight. And a few strategically placed refrigerated drawers up the convenience factor. As Sam says, how you use your space is critical to its design.
The Rodells enjoy spending time in their kitchen. But Sam’s favorite spot in the house is a small, private pass-through off the living room. It’s a transitional space, the kind that moves you from one room to the next. It’s also the perfect place to sit, have a cup of coffee and gaze out at a series of connected ponds made by a natural spring.
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When the Rodells built their home, they took advantage of the adjacent wetlands.
“Rather than push a generic landscape into natural wetlands, we pulled it in and nestled it into that,” Sam says.
Ducks return yearly to start their families. And deer and moose are frequent visitors.
From Sam’s favorite spot, you can take in this natural, peaceful setting through the floor-to-ceiling windows. And on a cold day, the space is warmed by a double-sided fi replace that separates it from the living room, where the Rodells often entertain.
“Until it gets to a point where nobody can fit, this is a more intimate space where people will hang out,” Sam says, adding that it doesn’t accommodate many.
“Two or three people and a couple of dogs,” he says with a laugh.
And that’s just part of its charm. N
By Kristina Lyman
Photography By Joel Riner
As Featured In: 2018 Summer/Fall SPO Edition