Layered. It’s a word we use regularly to describe the play of stuff in a home – the pillows whose patterns and fabrics contrast with the upholstery of a sofa, the gilt picture frame against a grass-cloth-covered wall, the little dance that occurs when the legs of a Queen Anne chair meet the limbs of a Regency writing table. A cross between accumulated and composed, it’s a look that only comes off in the most capable hands. Think masterpiece, not mash-up.
While a richly layered look can be conjured anywhere, it helps when the envelope one is working within possesses a depth all its own. Such was the case for designer Tim Pfeiffer, whose vintage, 2,220-square-foot condo in the Volunteer Park neighborhood of Seattle’s Capitol Hill boasts spacious rooms, handsome millwork, and a formal air worthy of a grand Parisian apartment. “Detailed Old World formal vibes aside, the layout of the space was a big win,” describes Pfeiffer, whose CV includes stints conceptualizing stores for Ralph Lauren and serving as senior vice president of Global Design and Development at Starbucks. “Situated on the top floor, with no party walls, it really operates like a freestanding home, with two en suite bedrooms at either end of the flat, a library, sunroom, windows on four sides and front- and back-door staircases.”
A previous owner had obscured the apartment’s 1920s grace by going for a “pseudo-Etruscan aesthetic,” which included terracotta flooring and loads of red and pink marble. Pfeiffer eliminated these details, updated the kitchen with a more functional layout and new cabinets, refreshed the primary bathroom with new sinks and a walk-in shower and dressed the unit with a wide-ranging array of complementary pieces, from Turkish rugs and Art Deco dining chairs by Charles Dudouyt to an English Edwardian chest of drawers. Greige walls (Nimbus by Benjamin Moore) provide a neutral backdrop for the disparate furnishings and underscore the tactile delight of bronze, oak, stone, linen and wool.
Pfeiffer’s previous home, a house not far from his current digs, was done in a “coastal California vibe” with walls and woodwork painted white and midcentury furniture taking the lead. “I’ve had the good fortune of dozens of trips to England and France and have become a bit of an Old World Anglo-Francophile,” notes Pfeiffer. “And for this space, I wanted a more sophisticated, urban feel in a moody, monochromatic world.” High ceilings and large openings between rooms allowed Pfeiffer to celebrate scale, which he did by bringing in a baby grand piano, a Vladimir Kagan sectional, and an eight-foot-tall tansu cabinet from Kyoto. An art lover, Pfeiffer has adorned the home with a variety of works in various media: sculpture by Alexander Calder, iron pieces from Benin, Africa, a canvas by Puget Sound artist Guy Anderson and photographs by Jenny Riffle.
“I’ve had the good fortune of dozens of trips to England and France and have become a bit of an Old World Anglo-Francophile,” notes Pfeiffer. “And for this space, I wanted a more sophisticated, urban feel in a moody, monochromatic world.”
While highly intentional and unmistakably composed, these interiors exude a sense of authenticity, thanks to the scope of Pfeiffer’s taste and the various ways in which he has arranged his possessions. There’s a certain fitting looseness to the disposition of his sunroom and a kind of dense intimacy in the living room. The dining room, with its low, wraparound bookcase, sound-wave-inspired Frequency wallpaper from Innovations and closely hung paintings, projects a wonderful, random aspect. Taken together, the rooms Pfeiffer calls home project a deeply satisfying cohesiveness. Impressive yet unimposing, artful yet straightforward, they are a testament of a sure hand and a searching eye.
Photography by Rafael Soldi.
For more from Hoedemaker Pfeiffer, be sure to check out this hillside retreat off the coast of Washington.
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