Craving Connection
A Nuanced Restoration with Rerucha Studio
“It was a challenge to create an insertion of a new kitchen that felt of the existing space but functioned and flowed better,” architect Jill Rerucha said. “Henrybuilt, with its customization and attention to details, was a perfect fit. It looks like it has always been there.”
Pacific Northwesterners are known for their reserved manner, and this mid-century home outside of Seattle was no exception. Its understated stance blended beautifully into the surroundings, but its owners craved stronger connections, both inside and out.
For them, communing in the garden and cooking shared meals were key routines to keep at the forefront while renovating. Unfortunately, their home’s physical boundaries didn’t align with these values—it created literal barriers to realizing their desired way of living. The geometry of the kitchen particularly negated the ability to connect with family and friends while cooking. It was time for a change.
Before entering the permitting phase, the clients brought on architect Jill Rerucha and Henrybuilt to realize their vision. Within the context of a sensitive restoration, a close design partnership between Henrybuilt, Rerucha, and the clients resulted in a home where every intervention—from the kitchen to the surrounding living spaces—feels as though it has always belonged, while quietly incorporating a high level of technical innovation and functional performance.
Architecture by Rerucha Studio
Builder: Wygal Builders
“The house had good bones, so we didn't want to create a massive intervention. We treaded softly and worked with our architect to develop a design that felt like it belonged to the original home,” the client said. “Our goal was to create connections—visual and otherwise—between the kitchen, the dining space, and the people in it, as well as orient the focus to the outdoors.”
The Henrybuilt kitchen system was custom fit and configured to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding mid-century architecture and the adjacent windows, extending the home’s connection to the outdoors. Rather than using grey HPL or aluminum as the primary material in the kitchen, Henrybuilt recommended natural walnut to create a stronger sense of continuity with the rest of the house. The combination of Henrybuilt's hand craftsmanship and advanced finishing technology creates an outcome that is both highly durable and natural.
The original kitchen was closed off to the neighboring dining space, creating isolation and cramped quarters. Rerucha’s new design eliminates the barrier and utilizes a peninsula as a bridge between the cooking and socializing zones.
That same move shifted the orientation of the space to the exterior, fully opening the view to the back garden—avisual runway to the outdoors.
The magic is in staying connected to the outdoors while spending time inside—especially on a rainy day.
WHY HENRYBUILT? A NEW WAY
Henrybuilt marries a system approach to product innovation with a natural, highly crafted feel to enhance the experience of living in your home.
Eliminating a wall of storage during the remodel was not a stress-free decision for the family cook, who confesses to always keeping two of everything in the kitchen (who wants to run out of something during dinner prep?). The efficiency of Henrybuilt’s system, however, put him at ease.
“It is amazing how much is captured in the space,” he said. “We lost at least one third of the previous storage space in the reconfiguration, but we can still fit everything. It is a meticulously designed system, and it’s all figured out.”
“It is amazing how much is captured in the space,” he said. “We lost at least one third of the previous storage space in the reconfiguration, but we can still fit everything. It is a meticulously designed system, and it’s all figured out.”
The values that drove the overall project came into play not only in the architecture of the kitchen layout, but also in Henrybuilt’s integrated functional storage system. The Henrybuilt system goes beyond boxes, incorporating innovative product design focused on making the most of everyday life. The result is a kitchens that functions as a finely tuned workshop and an ideal socializing space—one that helps you concentrate your time and focus on what you enjoy most. It offers a sense of permanence both through its ability to adapt over time and through its superior craft, backed by a lifetime warranty.
This functional system was one of the key factors that led the clients to select Henrybuilt.
“Every time I open the drawer to get the silverware or grab something from the spice rack, beautifully displayed like a piece of art, I feel the care and intention behind it,” says the couple’s sous chef.
“Every time I open the drawer to get the silverware or grab something from the spice rack, beautifully displayed like a piece of art, I feel the care and intention behind it,” says the couple’s sous chef.
“It gives me joy in every touch—a grounding feeling. This is what every interaction in our homes should be.”
