The Lakefront Seattle Escape of Celebrity Hairstylist Jen Atkin Was Meant To Be
It’s not every day that what sets out to be an investment property turns into a fairytale vacation hideaway. But that was the case for Jen Atkin, entrepreneur and celebrity hairstylist, and her husband, photographer Mike Rosenthal. “I mean, there were bunnies in the yard,” quips the multi-hyphenate of seeing her Seattle getaway for the first time. “The minute we saw it we just felt like we were home.”
Having looked in other areas, the duo, at first, had trouble finding something that felt authentic to them. (At least if they didn’t want to undertake a massive renovation.) “Most of the homes we saw needed a lot of work, which we were not prepared to do as we were still working on our house in LA,” Atkin explains. It wasn’t until their last day of viewing properties that the duo stumbled upon this hidden gem.
“We walked through the house and it felt like we had built it ourselves,” Atkin recalls. “We kept pinching ourselves. Then we were like, ‘Well, how are we going to talk the owners into letting us take this house?’” One effervescent we-love-your-home letter later and the pair, along with their two children and three dogs, were on their way toward a new kind of adventure. “It felt like a place where anything was possible,” Rosenthal remarks.
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Designer Carly Lisnow, owner of NowHaus Studio, was up for the job. “Nothing could be precious,” Atkin says of her remit for Lisnow. So while their dog eating a piece of the new sofa days after its arrival wasn’t ideal, no one was shaken. “You hope it doesn’t happen, but if it does, it won’t crush you,” Rosenthal says of that type of incident; but “there are definitely a few vases we don’t want to break,” Atkin quickly adds.
Family time, game nights with friends, tranquility, and adaptability were the priorities Lisnow kept in mind. Other than that, the slate was blank. Bridging the Los Angeles chic that the couple knows so well with Seattle’s cool sense of elevated charm, the designer set out to craft a tranquil yet interesting home by focusing on midcentury pieces with an eclectic edge. Think a custom Croft House living room sofa nestled among wooden coffee tables from Stahl+Band and a not-so-obvious limestone piece by Yucca Stuff.
The house itself, designed by architect Peter Cohan and originally constructed by Schultz Miller, is striking, comprising light woods, white tones, and sweeping views. “I had to go more minimalist than I normally do just to really let the lake and architecture of home remain the centerpieces,” Lisnow explains. Plus with multiple businesses to run, stacked schedules, kids, and a few dogs, Atkin and Rosenthal were more than amenable to the idea of simplicity.
The couple worked closely with Lisnow to bring their vision to life. “It was really just about giving them options—Jen and Mike love being involved in the design. They really are my dream clients.” The feeling is clearly mutual. According to Lisnow, though, what made the project feel even more special was getting to incorporate locally sourced pieces. Sprinkled throughout the home you’ll find vases and trinkets galore, all telling stories of Seattle’s past. “It’s what makes a house a home,” the designer reflects.
Elsewhere, indoor meets outdoor thanks to floor-to-ceiling retractable windows. “Somebody could be in the kitchen, someone else in the living room, and someone else outside and you still feel like you’re together…. It feels like a natural extension,” Rosenthal says. “This house begs you to be outside,” Atkin adds.
Unsurprisingly, the location continues to be one of their favorite parts of their new home. “I would have never [added to] our bingo card for 2022 [that] we would be in Seattle,” Atkin insists. Now a new chapter of their lives brims with mesmerizing bike trails, swimming holes, and, according to Atkin, an immeasurable amount of dog parks. “Neither one of us grew up with really strong traditions,” Rosenthal mentions, “so the idea of being able to create that for our kids is something we’ve always wanted to do.”
Atkin adds of their new city: “We feel invigorated when we’re here. It’s like the universe meant for us to be in each other’s lives.”
Video producer and editor: Eliza Laycock. Director: Jordan McGrath. DP: Kyle Roof. Production assistant: Madison Hawes.
1/19Entrepreneur and celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin and husband, photographer Mike Rosenthal, pictured with their two children, Sloane and River. “We wanted to make sure everything was durable,” Atkin notes. Croft House sofa upholstered with Marvic Textiles Serafina fabric; Tabouret Berger Stool from Design Within Reach.
2/19A wood built-in shelving unit makes the perfect home for knickknacks from travels to come. “Both Jen and Mike are on the move so much, I know they’ll fill the space with great pieces from their travels,” Lisnow says. Other tabletop options for their goodies include a set of Stahl and Band dark wood coffee tables alongside a limestone Yucca Stuff table. An assortment of objects seen are from Housewright Gallery.
3/19The large vase is from Seattle’s Housewright Gallery. The wood-clad kitchen features Arwa light fixtures.
4/19Breathtaking views of the lake can be caught from any room in the house. The kitchen, dining room, and primary living space have the exciting honor of a captivating indoor-outdoor feel.
Art: Bertrand Fournier/Alzueta Gallery5/19Though this particular home was a fresh start for the family, the custom Doron Silverman wooden dining table, purchased from Bespoke Furniture in Los Angeles, used to live in the couple’s previous home. Mazie leather dining chairs from Room & Board; Now Voyager vase.
6/19A nook, located behind the main stairway, is equipped with a DWR structural stool.
Art: Patrick James/Owen Contemporary7/19The family of four is all smiles in the entryway of their Seattle escape. Wearing an Anine Bing turtleneck, SIR trousers, and The Row sandals, Atkin, who is styled by Lucy Warren, sits with daughter, Sloane, besides her husband, Mike, and son, River.
8/19Jayson Home vases, crafted from clay and hand-covered with white barnacle shells, welcome guests into the Seattle abode. The right of the entryway boasts pieces from Crate & Barrel, such as the Silvano Console and Edge Black Arch Mirror.
Art: Todd Mossman9/19“We really wanted to lean into this room,” says designer Carly Lisnow of the guest bedroom. Wood beams bring angles and a sense of comfort to the light-filled space. The bed, draped in hand woven Indian fabric, sits beside the pièce de résistance, an artwork by Todd Mossman commissioned by NowHaus Studio.
Art: Allan Howze/Gold Leaf Design Group10/19“The guest bedroom is such a special place,” Lisnow muses about the space, which feels more like “a resort” than a room in someone’s house. And if the private staircase wasn’t enough, friends of the couple can expect their very own deck with uninhibited lake scenery.
11/19Inside one of the home’s bathrooms.
12/19Having worked with Crate & Barrel on a previous home, Atkin and Rosenthal were thrilled at the opportunity to collaborate once again. Making sure their kids had a magical space of their own, the two entrepreneurs spared no detail. Pieces by Crate & Kids fill the room, and Lulu and Georgia Sparrow Wallpaper adds dimension to the space. “My one-year-old has no idea she has the best room in the house,” Atkin laughs of her daughter Sloane’s room. “Her view is magical and she doesn’t even know it yet.”
13/19In an effort to stick with neutral earth tones, Lisnow infused the primary bedroom with soft and inviting textures. An Adirondack chair from Crate & Barrel makes for an inviting place to perch.
14/19A sleek bathtub frames a tree-filled view.
15/19Atkin selected laid-back sofas from Croft House to set the tone for the backyard. Rounded River Stone coffee tables sourced from a local Seattle store bring softness that works well with the surrounding nature.
16/19“The previous owners had pops of red through the house,” Lisnow recalls, “Mike and Jen loved it and insisted on integrating that.” Adirondack chairs from Crate & Barrel make a statement while tying together a few other pieces scattered throughout the property. “We became really great friends with the seller,” Atkin adds. “They stay in the house when we’re not there and we go and visit them at their [home]…. They’re so lovely.”
17/19“So much of the credit, I think, belongs with the Schultz Miller, and previous owners,” Rosenthal says. “Yeah, we were able to put great things in there and give it a cool dressing, but the space itself is perfect.” Whether he was referring to the materials, the angles, or the double take worthy view, his point remains.
18/19Sculpture elements accent the already architecturally minted home. DWR Magis Spun Chairs sitting pretty on the front lawn.
19/19A final look at the home.
