For many years, when homeowners planned to build or remodel, architects and designers advised them to think first and foremost about resale value. From the number of bedrooms to the materials, appliances, and finishes in the kitchens and bathrooms, homes were often treated solely as an investment, with an eye to future sales. In recent years, however, industry professionals are changing tack and advising their clients to go for it: choose the bold paint, add the dog run, and embrace the vivacious marble countertops. In other words, design the house for you, not some speculative, future buyer.

Real estate developer Scott Rerucha and his wife Aree fully embraced this mindset when they decided to build a ground-up home in Kirkland. The duo—who met more than a decade ago while Scott was on an overseas business trip—had lived in two houses in the downtown area, but, according to him, one was too small and the other was fine, but not their dream spot. After they moved in, they found a vacant lot with territorial views where they envisioned building a custom home.

Aree and Jill chose an extra-large architectural light fixture from Italy to hang in the kitchen. Scott wasn’t sure at first, but now he can’t picture the room without it.

Photography by Kevin Scott

“We really built this house for ourselves,” Scott says of the 3,800-square-foot, two-story modern residence. “I just threw the investment thing to the side and said, ‘I don’t care about that part. What I care about is that we get what we want to live in.’”

Once they secured their lot, Scott and Aree immediately brought on an architect—Scott’s sister, Jill Rerucha, founder of Seattle-based Rerucha Studio. “We always wanted my sister to design a home for us,” Scott says. When the trio sat down to discuss the house, Scott and Aree, who is originally from Thailand, brought different styles, underscored by a shared penchant for simple forms, clean lines, and a connection to the surrounding landscape.

“They both influenced me,” Jill says of her design, which combines an industrial-leaning glass-and-steel palette with custom wood elements—screens, ceilings, panels, and the front door—that firmly ground the house within the Northwest architectural vernacular. She worked with local contractor  Stackman Homes on the build. “My brother is more traditional, but also bold. He wanted a large house with a lot of street presence. Aree has a more modern aesthetic and a little fresher look at things.”

The striking welcome includes a custom front door from Starboard Door.

Photography by Kevin Scott

A reflecting pond just off the entryway, where a custom fabricated staircase winds to the second floor.

Photography by Kevin Scott

One approach the couple agreed on was the importance of entertaining spaces. Both Scott and Aree are very social, and according to the couple, it’s not rare for them to have 20 people over to share a big, home-cooked Thai meal. The views are most visible from the second story, so Jill positioned that level as the main living space, comprising the living room, dining room, and kitchen—off of which is a large, covered terrace accessed by a row of Fleetwood that can fully open for total indoor-outdoor connection—as well as the primary suite. Here, Aree has a custom walk-in closet with a chandelier: her top request for the project.

Downstairs is Scott’s golf room (complete with a virtual-play setup), a lounge, the guest suite, laundry room and dog bath, as well as a flex space that Scott uses as an office when he works from home.

According to Jill, “since their living space is upstairs, that really defined the layout of the house.” To make it easier to transfer groceries, luggage, and the couple’s two dogs up one level, they installed an elevator, which the architect decorated with emerald-green paint and Italian floor tiles.

Floating stairs were high on the couple’s must-have list.

Photography by Kevin Scott

As guests ascend or descend, music is piped in to add atmosphere.

Elsewhere in the house, the palette is subdued, with white oak flooring, textured walls, and neutral-toned furniture. Asian-inspired influences—the wood screens, the open layout, a reflecting pond, and a bamboo grove in the yard—are a nod to Aree’s Thai culture, and gentle touches that warm up the otherwise industrial materials.

“The [slatted] screens bring patterned light in the house,” Jill says, “and not using blonde wood, using walnut instead, it’s very much like their house in Thailand.”

Two standout moments are the entry stairs, a request from the couple, the white oak steps float on a heavy steel spine; and the kitchen, which is all black. “The staircase is one piece of metal,” Scott says. “It had to be brought in before the house was fully framed.” The kitchen, where Aree spends a lot of time with her friends, cooking traditional Thai meals, features charcoal-toned quartz countertops, black marble backsplashes, and custom cabinetry stained dark, with a pearlized finish that catches the light. “We ended up having to stain the cabinets a couple of times,” Scott explains, “because it’s really hard to keep the look consistent.”

For some siblings, working together would be like trying to combine oil and water, but for Jill and Scott, the process was smooth and collaborative, and it deepened their mutual trust. Scott and Aree love their house and their ability to easily bring together friends and family. “Thai culture is so endearing and warm and accepting of everybody,” Scott says. “When we created our home, we thought about that, and we wanted it to be a space that we love, and that we can share with others.”