View Ridge Remodel Part One - Fireplace Feature Wall

We recently had the pleasure of remodeling a beautiful mid-century home in Seattle’s beloved View Ridge neighborhood. The project touched nearly every room, but this first post is all about the fireplace feature wall – one of those classic elements that so many Pacific Northwest homeowners still live with today.

Looking at the before photos, you’ll instantly recognize the late-1960s/early-1970s vibe: warm vertical oak paneling covering the entire wall, a stone surround, and that generous raised hearth with the red cushion that doubled as extra seating. It was cozy and full of character, but it wasn’t quite matching our clients’ dream of a clean, modern, and super-functional living space.

Before: Classic 1970s fireplace feature wall in our View Ridge Seattle remodel — full-height oak paneling, stone surround, and that famous raised hearth with red cushion that doubled as family seating.

One of the biggest drivers was gaining usable square footage for a comfortable, family-friendly dining area and kitchen. The original wraparound open fireplace simply took up too much real estate, so we replaced it with a sleek, compact gas insert. The switch instantly opened up the room, improved traffic flow, and gave the whole space that bright, airy feel people crave in today’s Seattle homes.

The raised hearth and wraparound fireplace was super cozy, but it ate up valuable living space in this mid-century home.

Balancing modern minimalism with the home’s mid-century roots can be tricky, but we achieved it here by incorporating natural materials like this beautiful honed Alabastrino travertine tile – its soft natural tones and subtle texture keep things warm and inviting without feeling cold or sterile.

After: Clean, modern Seattle fireplace remodel with honed Alabastrino travertine, offset gas insert, and custom walnut floating shelves that perfectly balance the chimney placement.

The existing chimney from the basement fireplace meant we couldn’t center the gas unit, but the designer turned that obstacle into a feature: a set of graduated walnut floating shelves that perfectly balance the offset fireplace while adding stylish display space.

Graduated walnut floating shelves strike the perfect balance of warm wood tones against the cool honed travertine tile, turning an offset fireplace into a stylish focal point — one of our favorite details in this View Ridge renovation.

On the kitchen side, our tile installer faced a fun challenge – creating a seamless transition from the travertine to the 3D sculpted backsplash. Every piece was hand-scribed and edge-polished on site. The result? A flawless detail you’d never guess was so technical.

Striking contrast between the soft natural travertine fireplace surround and the bold teal-green 3D kitchen backsplash creates a seamless yet eye-catching transition in this View Ridge Seattle remodel.

The finished fireplace now feels like the heart of the home again – modern, efficient, and still true to its View Ridge mid-century soul.

This is just Part One of the View Ridge remodel series. Stay tuned for more dramatic transformations coming soon!

Thinking about your own 1970s fireplace remodel, or planning a new feature wall? Whether you’re in View Ridge, Tacoma, or anywhere across the greater Seattle area, we’d love to help turn your vision into reality. Give us a call, or…