Alden Mason (1919-2013) was one of Seattle's most significant abstract expressionist painters, and the house he built by a creek in the city carries traces of that history. Ueda Design Studio was brought in by the house's current owners, who bought it after Mason's death and wanted to preserve its mid-century character while resolving the practical deficiencies typical of its era: poor insulation, outdated kitchen and bathrooms, and insufficient storage.

The renovation treats the existing house with the sensitivity of a restoration rather than an update. Original material and spatial decisions are preserved where possible, with new interventions calibrated to read as extensions of what was already there. The entrance foyer, which lacked storage, received shoe cabinets and a coat closet using materials matched to the original design. The former painting studios on the west and east sides of the foyer were converted to an office and a music room, preserving their function as creative spaces while adapting them to the current household. During the work, removal of laminate flooring revealed paint stains on the concrete beneath, a direct trace of Mason's practice left in the fabric of the building.

The main level is reached by a skylight-lit staircase and introduces a wall sculpture by Mason, situating his work within the renovated interior rather than treating it as a separate layer. The living room maintains its connection to the creek and surrounding foliage through large openings, with a steel fireplace and Mason's artwork grounding the space. The kitchen was fully replaced: walnut and white laminate cabinets complement the variety of wood species already present in the house, and a new skylight and tube-type exhaust hood integrate the kitchen with the living area. Natural light enters through skylights and trees throughout, shifting in quality and direction across the day.