One of the more elaborate residential projects that have come across our kilns in the last year was a residential remodel project in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA.
This grand home received a major facelift, which included our glass as feature pieces in both exterior and interior areas.
Exterior: Long Layered Glass Table
Designer Karen Skadan contacted us to create a large outdoor glass table. Karen Skadan is Principal of Karen Skadan Design (established 1997), a full-service company specializing in residential design and custom furniture design. Karen has had the privilege of working with great clients and on projects that have taken her to Whistler, BC., Chicago, Palm Springs, San Juan Islands, Idaho and Los Angeles. She is currently working on a penthouse condominium in Beverly Hills, CA.
Ten foot long outdoor layered glass table top for Capitol Hill residence.
For the Capitol Hill home, Karen worked with Bernie Baker Architects and Morningstar Design, a landscape design firm, to create a soothing and tranquil outdoor retreat for a family of five, as well a functional space for entertaining. The clients requested a 10’ long outdoor table for entertaining that would have an artistic element and require little or no maintenance. “We looked at many different alternatives including 3 Form materials and stone before deciding on the fused glass by Glassworks, Inc,” Karen explains. “The four layers of fused glass definitely has that ‘wow’ factor, it is super easy to maintain and we love the practicality of the surface. It looks like a river of water.” Karen also notes that “communication and attention to detail” were the most notable benefits to working with Glassworks on this project.
This 10′ table and 1″ thick glass table top were created using four layers of low-iron glass, fused in our largest kiln with a gentle “water” texture on the underside, leaving the top surface exceptionally smooth and easy to clean. This project allowed us to utilize our large capacity kilns and resulted in a breathtaking feature piece that the family loves to use.
Looking ahead, Karen is excited about a new project starting in February that with bringing her and her team back to Whistler, BC. Thank you, Karen and we look forward to collaborating with you again soon.
Interior: Textured Glass for Double Vanity
General contractor Toth Construction contacted us while working on this same residence. They asked us to partner with them to create a pair of intricate glass vanities that included irregular cutouts for inset porcelain sinks, as well as kiln-formed glass backsplash and skirt pieces. For over 36 years Toth Construction has been a sought-after contractor for premium quality custom projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. Established by Walter F Toth in 1976, sons Klaus & Erik currently run the daily operations. Leading an exacting and cohesive company, outfitted with especially gifted craftspeople and managers, Toth Construction continues to hold the bar at the highest standards for quality and excellence.
This vanity project is a wonderful example of their precise methods of working with many different materials including custom glass. The results are as stunning as they are functional, creating contemporary features in a beautiful bathroom. One interesting feature of these vanities is the kiln-formed texture that was then mirrored, making each opaque to hide what was underneath while enhancing the reflectivity and luminescence that can only happen with glass. We appreciate working with such fine craftsmen. Thank you, Toth Construction!
Karen Skadan
Karen Skadan is a native Seattleite and studied at Seattle Pacific University. In 1997 she established her design firm, which is a full-service company specializing in residential and custom furniture designs. In 2010 she opened her storefront office in the Laurelhurst area, where she has expanded to three staff members. Karen has had the privilege of working with great clients and on projects that have taken her to Whistler, BC; Chicago; Palm Springs; San Juan Islands; Idaho and Los Angeles. She is currently working on a penthouse condominium in Beverly Hills, CA.
Toth Construction
We have two tried and true priorities: relationships and service. These are the mainstays of our business and are the elements of what sets us apart from other contractors. Our mission is committed to making the process of fulfilling your design as easy and enjoyable as possible. Building your vision should be exciting, not daunting. We make it happen by developing excellent customer relationships where expectations are clear, trust is predominant and our quality is unsurpassed.
Working with both firms was such a pleasure. Designers help push our creative bounds and good contractors make installations go smoothly. Good project synergy occurs when the team works well together to provide the very best outcome for our clients, which is ultimately everyone’s goal.
We look forward to working with our design partners from initial concept, through custom fabrication, to final installation. If you have a great design idea to explore with us, please call us at (206) 441-4268 or contact us by email.