A custom Rasar-designed sectional sofa and leather chairs by Holly Hunt cluster around a Rasar-designed coffee table (manufactured by Gulassa & Co.) in the living room. Finishes and colors throughout the space are restrained and uniform—off-white walls, beige carpeting and polished, black-stained concrete floors.
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Heart of the City
Interior designer Doug Rasar creates a sophisticated urban space for his clients in downtown Seattle featuring Rasar originals, a soothing color palette and an impressive free-standing fireplace


Vibrant artwork throughout the space includes Moroccans Barricade by Judy Cooke, which hangs in the dining room, and Tools of the Butter Trade, a sculpture by Lee Kelly.


The free-standing, double-sided fireplace separates the dining area from the living room.


In the master bedroom, a painting by Victor Johnson titled Reflection hangs above the bed (yes, custom designed by Doug Rasar).


A sliding mahogany panel with a blackened steel handle closes off the library from the adjoining living room.


Sophisticated urban textures: Brilliantly colored paintings from the owners’ extensive contemporary art collection, including Arbol Rojo by Gustavo Ramos Rivera add punch to the home’s otherwise restrained color palette of black, taupe and off-white tones.


Textured fabrics by Gary Glant adorn the Doug Rasar-designed sofa in the living room.


Another custom Rasar design manufactured by Gulassa & Co., the library coffee table features a blackened steel base.

When they purchased their 2,800-square-foot downtown Seattle condominium a few years ago, the owners were looking for a pied-à-terre in the heart of the city. “We chose downtown because when we are in Seattle, we like to be in close proximity to everything we do and be able to walk to dinner, to the symphony or the theater,” the wife says. (The couple’s primary residence is in a more rural setting.)

Designed by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, the brand-new two-bedroom condo had already been built out, and the architectural envelope was perfectly suited to the couple’s space and location needs. All they had to do was hire designer Doug Rasar to help them furnish the interiors. “When we brought in Doug, whom we first worked with more than 20 years ago, we got the lyrics necessary to make the bones sing,” the wife says.

Near the oversized steel-and-wood entry door, a modern flower arrangement on a custom pedestal sets a tone of opulent simplicity. Inside, the wide hallways are left unfurnished, leaving space to showcase brilliantly colored paintings from the couple’s extensive contemporary art collection.

A Zen-like calm pervades the flowing horizontal spaces, which somehow feel untouched by the amped-up pace of the urban life unfolding many floors below. Neutral-colored furnishings in mostly black, taupe and off-white tones leave the starring role to the artwork and to the many views of the city from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

“The whole idea was to create a sophisticated urban experience,” Rasar says. “Also, since this is the clients’ second home, they wanted everything to be simple to achieve rather than complicated. We didn’t even change the color of the walls.”

Finishes are restrained and uniform throughout: off-white walls; floors of polished, black-stained concrete tiles; beige carpeting in the bedrooms; white oak cabinets and shelving; golden-yellow and black granite and marble counter tops.

The interiors are striking, but everything is also designed for living. Comfort reigns in the living room and adjoining library, where generous seating invites relaxation. “Doug knows us and how we like to live,” the wife says. “We want the surroundings to say, ‘Come in and make yourself at home.’  We want to enjoy life wherever we are.”

In the living room, a custom sectional designed by Rasar and two leather cube chairs by Holly Hunt foster cozy conversation around a custom coffee table (a Rasar design manufactured by Gulassa & Co.). “We didn’t want to call attention to the floor coverings, so we chose raffia weave for the living room and library rugs,” the designer explains. The focus stays squarely on a riveting silhouette painted by John Grey and a steel sculpture by Julie Speidel.

A sliding mahogany panel with a dramatic blackened steel handle closes off the adjoining library, which also serves as an office and TV room. The door was stained ebony to fit in with the neutral backdrop. The sofa, which converts to a sleeper for extra guests when the main guest room is occupied, is a favorite spot for the owners to curl up and watch a movie with visiting grandchildren. (The tables, custom Rasar designs, were also made by Gulassa.)

A dramatic free-standing, double-sided fireplace finished in opalescent gray Venetian plaster separates the living area from the dining room, where an expansive white oak table and 10 leather Italian chairs from a previous home were a perfect fit once the table was refinished a dark espresso brown. Glass doors open to an expansive deck that beckons the party outdoors. The clean lines of the open kitchen and its unadorned granite counter tops deliberately fade into the background.

Down the hall, past the lush quiet of the guest room and bath, the serene master suite is punctuated by dazzling artwork. A feeling of security and solidity emanates from the legless bed and side tables. Fabric wall panels behind the bed add warmth and subtle texture. The upholstered bed and headboard are custom Rasar designs, as are the nightstands and bench. Rasar added built-in cabinets under the windows to create storage and provide a surface to display a steel-and-glass sculpture by Julie Speidel. 

“You get a sense of energy from the urban landscape and a sense of nature from the mountains and [Puget] Sound,” the wife observes. “The views are fantastic and the reflections unbelievable … and the birds are at eye level!”

“From here we can participate so easily in the life of the city,” says the husband, as he runs out to the bank and the gym before a night on the town. “We just love that our urban home is a place to explore from and that it doesn’t require constant upkeep.”

Design Details

Designer
Doug Rasar, Doug Rasar Interiors, 9400 Vineyard Crest, Bellevue, (425) 450-9911

Architect
Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, 159 S. Jackson St., Ste. 600, (206) 624-5670