Homeowners Nicole and Dawn Kimberling have lived in the York neighborhood of Bellingham, Washington for over 20 years. Their existing early 1900s house was fraught with toxic materials, a number of elements that did not meet current building codes, and was lacking insulation and air sealing, making it an uncomfortable abode. As they began to consider upgrades, they hired Architect Dan Welch with [bundle] design studio. 

 After much consideration, they ultimately decided to tear down the existing structure and build a new, energy efficient home where they could age in place in the same neighborhood they have lived for two decades. With sustainability as a priority, the plan was to create a net zero, Passive-style house designed to fit into the historic neighborhood.  

One of the sustainable elements of the project is the exterior siding, an open joint rainscreen, made with Restoration Juniper rough sawn fence boards from Sustainable Northwest Wood.   Juniper is being harvested in Eastern Oregon as part of grassland and watershed restoration efforts. Sustainable Northwest Wood partners with a network of small rural mills to distribute and sell the resulting wood from the restoration projects, offering a variety of useful products such as siding,   decking,  garden & landscape lumber,  flooring,   butcher block and more.   Juniper has natural aromatic oils, making it incredibly resistant to rot and decay. The siding material was left untreated to allow it to grey out over time, providing a natural element to the exterior. Complementing the modern-rustic façade are pops of red in the clean lines of the Cascadia triple- paned fiberglass windows. Restoration Juniper was also selected for the decks and a thoughtfully planned ramp leading to the entrance to accommodate future mobility needs as the couple ages. 

“The siding will ensure that the home ages beautifully with time,” says Dan Welch with [bundle] design build. 

The resulting award-winning build is a 2-story 1275 square foot 2-bedroom home in front with a 450 square foot ADU in back. The couple currently resides in the larger home, using the ADU as a rental for now. When they decide to retire, they will move to the smaller studio, which has ADA accessible features such as a curbless shower and wet room style bathroom.

Welch says “We expect the owners will be sitting on the front porch waving to neighbors on the sidewalk, as has been happening at this site for the last 100 years.”

Project Profile: Felicity House, Bellingham Washington

Architect: Dan Welch of [bundle] design studio

Builder: Jason Wheeler of Instinct Builders

Developer: Homeowners Nicole & Dawn Kimberling

Photography: Greenwood Photographic Art

Exterior Siding: Restoration Juniper from Sustainable Northwest Wood