Since I started this blog over a year ago, many things have taken place. Planned projects went under construction, conversions occured in several neighborhoods near the Seattle urban core, tenants have been displaced, height restrictions were lifted, rental rates have gone up and of course, more planned projects seem to be announced every few weeks.
One of the projects that is near to completion is Lumen, probably one of the most unique condos in Seattle. Their design emphasizes on efficient use of space, clean line and sleek look.
Last week Lumen had a home tour where they unveiled to the public three homes styled by renowned designer, Garret Cord Werner, Kasala and Roche Bobois. If you have visited the previous sale center which showcased their open one bedroom floor plan, (they just moved the center into one of their courtyard units.) you’ll probably remember the contemporary bed with hidden storage below the mattress and cupboard that serves as a dividing wall between the living and bedroom area. That was styled by Garret Cord. The furniture is now in a courtyard open one bedroom unit.
One of their 2 level two bedroom courtyard town homes is styled with Roche Bobois funiture. With the exception of the kitchen and bathroom finishes, the rest of the home feels more industrial and raw than your typically condo. It’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea. Even with the designer furniture, the condo felt somewhat unfinished. The main attraction to the unit is the tall ceiling, floor to ceiling glass windows and generous patio space just right off the living area.
The one bedroom plus den S floor plan is styled with Kasala furniture. The living space is narrow, however, you can probably use the den area as a 2nd living space.
There doesn’t seem to be an adequate amount of lighting in many of their floor plans. This is probably something a homeowner would want to consider installing. I’m not a big fan of their white Enamel cabinetries especially if it goes with polished concrete floors instead of hardwood floors. In my opinion, it felt a bit sterile and pale. I’m obviously not the type of home buyer they are trying to target so this might be the perfect look and feel for many edgier, more avante garde buyers. For the rest of us, the most homey package will be the combination of hardwood floors and wood kitchen cabinetries.
Overall, the rending of the floor plan and finishes are really close to what they marketed. Lumen is not the ordinary condos that you would expect. Concrete columns, stairways, floors and ceiling can been seen throughout these homes. If you are curious about their layout or just bought a condo but wanted to get some ideas on placement of furniture, I’d probably go during the weekend.
Pros
– QFC right at your door steps
– Melinda Gates Foundation and proximity to the developing South Lake Union neighborhood
– Unique, one of a kind condominium project in Seattle
Cons
– High homeowner dues
– Heavy traffic along Mercer St during peak hours
– Rich pricing
– Inadequate lighting for some of the floor plans
SCR scorecard
Exterior Good
Interior Average
Location Average
Amenities Above average
Value Average
Overall Average
Final Thoughts: Unique, thoughtfully designed, high quality condo that is sure to stand out from most other urban condominiums.
More info:
Previous post on Lumen
Slideshow on Lumen
Technorati Tags: Lumen condos, Lumen, Queen Anne condos, Seattle Lofts, Seattle condos, Seattle Real Estate, Garret Cord Werner, Rache Bobois, Kasala, Hewitt Architects
I dropped by this past Sunday afternoon with my girlfriend to see what they had left and tour the model homes (I will be interested in seeing what the Container Store model unit will look like).
Anyways, we felt that the price was a bit steep although we did like the location (betting on the future Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation boosting the yuppiness of the area) and the QFC right below us which seemed very convenient.
There are units with hardwood floors on the 3rd level and we were shown an “almost complete” unit that was extremely well done (zebra-wood cabinetry w/ dark hardwood floors and the SPA package in the bathroom).
Among the model homes, I found the smallest 1-bedroom unit to have the most efficient use of space while the other two units seemed to have many small but not-very-useful empty areas. I was especially irked by the den in the 2-bedroom ($1.5mm?) which was painted and decorated in a really bright orange/yellow palette. I joked that the small size of the den and the on the floor cushions made it perfect to be a “green room”.
Anyways, here’s my final thoughts:
Pros: Unique architecture, good interior styling and quality appliances, location above QFC, upscale-feel with Lumen Lounge (pool tables, etc.), possible good investment with B&M Gates foundation across the street.
Cons: Low lighting (BYOL essentially), some minor finishing flaws on cabinetry noticed, some may not like location on busy Mercer street, PRICE!
I’m contemplating about the price for the 1-bedroom ($420K) which works out to ~ $600/sq. ft which is more than I can afford right now. If it was in the low-mid 300s as they were originally going for, I would probably bite.
I agree the QFC below is an incredible asset to the building (although looking at Tribeca, it doesn’t make it a slam dunk investment wise). I also agree the developer has captured most of the upside in their current pricing – I guess it’s a great long term investment or residence with modest medium term upside.
My husband and I just finished viewing those three staged units. I did appreciate the clean lines, (mostly) efficient use of space, streamlined storage, industrial finishes and courtyard layout. However, I did find those spaces not as ‘luminous’ as I imagined ( especially on such a sunny day). More hardwired lighting per square foot may help. And, the sealed concrete floors and ceilings felt more grungy than hip or upscale. I would have preferred a polished and/or stained concrete finish to contrast with our upcoming gray winter days.
Good steel-concrete construction with air conditioning and central water. That’s about it. Everything else is exaggerated.
Their marketing is a bit false too. For example, their site states that there are high speed elevators, but in reality they are extremely slow. Some of their 1 bedrooms are plain studios with only 1 window, yet they still call it 1 bedroom. To put a sliding separator is extra, in fact everything to make a unit look like a living space is extra. The sales staff seems confused and paranoid to say the least.
The building has a lot of entrances, so the role of the concierge is not clear. The garage entrance, which is shared with QFC garage was backed up all the way to Mercer st, so traffic can be an issue too.
Lumen is unique and has a good quality steel-concrete construction with modern utilities, and you get your parking spot and storage, but that’s all. Everything inside is bare and basic.