SZ: On the Boards | FALL 2026

OPEN HOUSE

Seattle Modern Home Tour

The Seattle Modern Home Tour is inviting you back INSIDE the coolest modern homes - LIVE AND IN PERSON!

Tour the homes, get inspired, and meet the architects and designers by getting with the spaces that showcase their extraordinary visions of modern design today.

Join the SZ Design | Build Team at our participating Mercer Island Home + DADU!

ART

Creating Soulful Spaces

Art has a unique ability to communicate, captivate, and inspire. Thoughtfully integrated into architecture and interiors, it adds depth, warmth, and visual interest while making a space feel more personal and engaging. As a soulful expression of humanity, art can create a focal point, spark conversation, reflect the homeowner’s personality, and elevate a design beyond functionality.

One of the most common mistakes is treating art as decoration or bringing it into the process too late. Instead, art should be considered from the beginning, helping shape the space alongside architecture, furniture, materials, and lighting.

The most impactful interiors often feature unexpected works that introduce contrast, tension, and emotional depth. Whether bold or subtle, art brings individuality to a space and gives the overall design a more distinctive, expressive voice.

DESIGN | BUILD

Parkwest Residence

Nestled in the hillside on Mercer Island, with sweeping views of Lake Washington is the Parkwest Residence. Warm, rich tones and soft textures create a perfectly balanced color palette.

This complete interior and exterior renovation showcases an extensive transformation, focused on providing an organized and timeless family home. Applying the open plan concept, the living, dining and kitchen areas shared natural light and diagonal views. The expanded deck, and seven panel folding door further enhance this indoor/outdoor living experience.

Featuring a luxurious primary suite, large kitchen bookended by a venetian plaster wrapped corner fireplace, opening onto a dining room and bar area. Downstairs, an expansive family room and bar area lend itself to the perfect movie night. Perfect for this active and growing family.

KNOWLEDGE-SHARE

Do You DADU? Podcast Series

Ep 1: BACKYARD POTENTIALS | Can Your Property Do More?
Every property has a story, and hidden potential. We explore how new housing opportunities are transforming neighborhoods across the Greater Puget Sound. Is your property a candidate for a DADU? Learn what a DADU is, why they're becoming increasingly popular, and how they can support multigenerational living, rental income, aging in place, or simply a more flexible way of living.

Ep 2: FEASIBILITY | Can You Actually Build a DADU?
Not every property is the same. We break down zoning regulations, site conditions, utilities, topography, setbacks, budget, and permitting considerations to understand what is, and isn't, possible before investing in design.

Ep 3: DESIGNED AROUND LIFE | Creating a Home That Fits How You Live.
Good design begins with listening. Explore how thoughtful architecture transforms constraints into opportunities, creating cottage homes that are beautiful, functional, and tailored to your lifestyle, family, and long-term goals.

Ep 4: BUILDING YOUR DADU | From Drawings to Move-In Day.
What really happens after the design is complete? We walk through permitting, contractor coordination, budgeting, scheduling, construction, and the realities of bringing a backyard home to life.

Ep 5: BUILT TO LAST | Smart Sustainability for Everyday Living.
Sustainability isn't just about solar panels. Discover practical ways to improve comfort, reduce operating costs, increase resilience, and create healthier homes through thoughtful design and construction.

Ep 6: BEYOND THE BACKYARD | Understanding Unit Lot Subdivisions.
As Washington's housing landscape evolves, unit lot subdivisions are creating exciting new possibilities. Learn how they work, when they make sense, and how they can unlock long-term flexibility and property value.

Ep 7: HOW WE DADU | Inside the SZ Design-Build Process.
Go behind the scenes with our women-led design-build team to see how we guide homeowners through every stage of the journey, from the first conversation to feasibility, design, permitting, construction, and beyond. Discover why listening, collaboration, and creative problem-solving are at the heart of everything we do.

Ep 8: DEATH & TAXES | The Conversations Every Homeowner Should Have.
Perhaps the most important conversation of the season. We explore estate planning, inheritance, taxation, financing, insurance, ownership structures, and the financial decisions that can affect your property for generations.