The Seattle Met Magazine’s current edition identifies the top 10 homes in Seattle. They compiled a panel of specialists, including architects, a real estate broker, and historians, to pick out the best homes in the city. There are many factors they considered when compiling this list. One of the most significant is “…a coherent idea: an intangible quality such as serenity….or the material possibilities…”. This list is not about the biggest or most ornate homes, although Seattle certainly has its fair share of these. I certainly don’t disagree with the homes they selected, but am surprised they left a few out. One architect that had a significant impact on Seattle architecture was Arthur Loveless. (the Coleman house in West Seattle and pool; numerous homes in Seward Park and Washington Park, etc.) I was surprised he wasn’t even mentioned in the story. Many of the homes he designed were elegant, yet not overly indulgent. And while I know this article isn’t meant to be a summary of the city’s best architects, some just speak for themselves.
As any good Realtor knows, pictures say a thousand words. And, when it comes to talking about houses, people want to see pictures! To spend just half a page on each of these homes seemed to actually make them insignificant. And, to only provide one picture on each home leaves readers wanting more. Did they just not have enough ad revenue this month to justify adding 5 or 6 more pages to this story? With only half a page devoted to each “Greatest Home”, it feels to me that this story was just rushed and they didn’t have enough time to truly give their readers the extra details (and photos!) we would naturally yearn for.
Ok, I guess there is one home on the list I don’t think should be there. Not because I don’t think it’s an amazing house, but it’s not even located in Seattle! The Frank Lloyd Wright home in Normandy Park is stand-out house. While I have personally seen this home (and wrote a short blog story about it), last time I checked, Normandy Park was not a neighborhood of Seattle, but its own city. With so many great homes in Seattle, why take up one slot on the list with a home that’s not even in our city?! All they would have had to do was entitle the article “The 10 Greatest Home in the Seattle Area” and it would have been a more accurate title.
Take a look at the list and tell me if you agree think the homes selected were the right ones? If not, which Seattle homes do you think should be on this list? If you are interested in more historical homes in Seattle, “Homes and Gardens of the Pacific Coast: Seattle, 1913″ is a great historical reference. Most of the pictures were taken shortly after the homes were built, so you see the homes in their near-original state.
