Four and a half years. That’s how long Mary Hurlock-Murphy, husband Grant Risdon, their three kids, two dogs and a cat lived in an 800-square-foot, three-bedroom, 100-year-old farmhouse in Seattle before undertaking a remodel.

The couple — she works at digital agency Razorfish; he works in biotech — loved their desirable neighborhood of Queen Anne homes, and moving into a nearby house wasn't an option, because demand had priced them out of the area. So they decided to stay put and make the most of their small house and lot. Architect Chris Pardo of Elemental Architecture offered a light at the end of the tunnel. By casting the project as a remodel, despite the renovations being so extensive that the home would be nearly a new build, they were able to avoid new property setbacks that would have yielded a ridiculously slim 5-foot-wide house.

Instead, Pardo built out and up as much as possible, doubling the square footage to 1,600. He turned two levels into four by adding a rooftop deck and, in a partial-daylight basement, an in-law studio apartment, which the homeowners now rent out to offset their mortgage. Pardo also fulfilled a lifelong dream of Hurlock-Murphy's to have a home library. With such limited space, Pardo cleverly split the library into three custom-built sections throughout the house.

Despite it being a “compact house,” Pardo says, the couple is happy with their four bedrooms; this is the first time in years that they haven't slept on a Murphy bed.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Mary Hurlock-Murphy, her husband Grant Risdon, their three kids, two dogs and a cat
Location: Seattle
Size: 1,600 square feet; 4 bedrooms
Budget: $165 per square foot

View 10 photos »