Fitting In

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, September 10, 2005

mukilteo – Drive around many old neighborhoods in Snohomish County and chances are, like a blip on a radar, you’ll see one: a house that doesn’t fit in.

Maybe it’s bright blue with pink trim when all the other homes are brick. Or perhaps the 1950s rambler neighborhood with neatly trimmed lawns has fallen prey to a new neighbor. They bought a lot, leveled the existing house and built a humungous two-story version of Tara.

There goes the neighborhood.

But when it comes to the old town area of Mukilteo, existing residents need not fear if they find Steve Edwards, president of Adobe Ltd., building in their area.

Edwards, who loved Mukilteo so much he and his wife moved here in April 2004, tries to refine the design of his homes to fit the look and feel of the community he builds in. He tries to be sensitive to older architecture and takes much into consideration as he consults with his architects about plans.

“Being new kids on the block, we try not to mess it up,” Edwards said.

Two years ago, Edwards built two homes on Second Street in Mukilteo. Before heading to his architects, he did photo studies of the area. He also conducted view studies where he got up on a hydraulic platform to see where the windows of the home would go, and talked to people in the neighborhood.

Edwards specifically built the two homes so that the lower house does not obstruct the view of the higher home in any way.

Although he doesn’t have an easily defined style, Edwards wants to make sure his product works for the community and for the site, he said.

Edwards has fond memories of the Mukilteo area. Growing up on Queen Anne in Seattle, he would head north with his family to vacation on Whidbey Island.

“It was quite a trek,” Edwards said.

Architects Jose Bazan and Kevin Mackey of Bazan and Associates try to incorporate some of the features from the surrounding homes into the new one that Edwards builds.

Bazan and Mackey created a simple structure that would fit in with homes surrounding a new structure Edwards is building on Ninth Avenue.

“We like the front porch. That brings people to the front of the house,” Mackey said.

People tend to go to their back yards, taking them out of the community.

The new structure faced height restrictions and the architects worked in a lower roof than they normally would on that type of house, Mackey said.

Bazan and Mackey first drove through the area and then came up with some sketches and a plan of a home they could envision on the street.

“It depends on the season when you drive by,” Bazan said.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, they take into consideration the landscape and the colors.

“We particularly like the brown colors,” Bazan said. “They tend to be a bit more natural.”

These kinds of warm hues tend to survive home color trends more than other shades.

“We stay away from the grays,” Bazan said.

The architect team is used to working on difficult lots such as hillsides and homes that are hard to get access to. The know what Edwards wants when he’s looking there, too.

“He’s looking for creativity,” Bazan said. “Some identity.”

Like all builders, Edwards works with the city to make sure he’s within code for building the home he wants.

The City of Mukilteo, like many others, has code requirements for setbacks, how tall homes can be and, depending on the part of town, roof lines.

“We do not have a formal design review,” said Rich Leahy, city administrator. “Some of the good developers do a better project than if we had design guidelines.”

At one time, a survey was put to the residents of the older, northern part of Mukilteo. But Leahy said that the city found that residents don’t want to be restricted.

In newer subdivisions built by a single developer, homeowner committees take care of many of the guidelines for that development.

Old Mukilteo is “unique and has different properties because of the slopes,” Leahy said.

Fifteen years ago, people couldn’t get there, but now it’s feasible and these properties can offer great views.

“There are beautiful vistas,” Edwards said. Mukilteo “is naturally blessed with that kind of thing.”

Christina Harper is a Marysville freelance writer.