Issaquah: An Architect’s Perspective

Issaquah architecture by Gelotte Hommas Drivdahl
Our architects provide custom home design services for the Issaquah region.

Welcome to Issaquah

Issaquah is an ideal location to build a dream home in the Pacific Northwest. The rolling green hills, old Cascade forests, and scenic Lake Sammamish are just a few of the spectacular natural offerings available to its residents. The community is filled with professionals and their families and. Issaquah’s reputation as an exceptional, thriving community is well earned and we are honored to serve as Issaquah architects.

Issaquah Highlights

  • Top tier school system: Issaquah is located in the Issaquah School District which consistently ranks as one of the best in the country. It includes 15 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, and 4 high schools throughout the Sammamish, Renton, Bellevue, and Newcastle areas. Education is clearly a high priority—the area boasts some of the highest rates of residents with an advanced degree in the nation.
  • Secluded: The 30+ minute average commute time for the professionals who call Issaquah home is a welcome tradeoff for the breathtaking beauty of the area. Issaquah is a premiere destination for nature lovers and outdoor recreation seekers alike. With a reputation for safety, cleanliness, and friendliness, Issaquah is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and visit in Washington State.
  • Ample recreation: Issaquah is home to dozens of parks, trails, accessible mountains, and bodies of water. Daily encounters with wildlife and beautiful wooded areas are unavoidable. Lake Sammamish offers much to those living nearby and with other attractions just a quick drive up the road, it’s a nature-lover’s paradise. Hunting, fishing, biking, and hiking are just a few examples of the widely available recreation options. Hiking up Tiger Mountain is a local favorite and, with views on a clear day stretching all the way to the Puget Sound, it’s obvious why.

Life in Downtown Issaquah

Architecture by Gelotte Hommas Drivdahl
As architects, we draw inspiration from the natural beauty that dominates the Issaquah area.

Issaquah’s reputation of being a perfect blend of suburban/urban is certainly true. When many visitors think of Issaquah, the Olde Town neighborhood is likely the first image that comes to mind. The Olde Town neighborhood pre-dates the suburban, car-oriented form of other parts of the city, adding to its tight-knit feel and small-town charm. Many of the shops, restaurants, and small businesses integral to the local economy are housed in original, turn-of-the-century architecture.

Surrounding Area

Issaquah is bordered by the Sammamish Plateau to the north, the “Issaquah Alps” to the south, and the Snoqualmie Valley to the east. Within striking distance of the bustling tech hubs of Bellevue and Redmond, many professionals are privileged to settle in the area.

The vineyards and wineries of Woodinville are just 20 minutes away and offer a delightful summer escape. Lake Sammamish offers year-round beauty and recreation to day trippers and permanent residents alike. Destination seeking and discovery are a common part of the Issaquah resident experience.

Issaquah Neighborhoods

With some of the highest property values in the United States, the surrounding Issaquah neighborhoods are extremely coveted places to live. From Grand Ridge to the shores of South Lake Sammamish, the livability scores of each of the eight neighborhoods are all exceptional.

The Newport neighborhood is mostly high-end residential housing located on one of the many green hillsides. The Newport Way Northwest Corridor crosses over the iconic Tibbetts Creek and serves as a connector with the Mountains-to-Sound Greenway and provides access to the Tibbetts Valley Park. Issaquah Highlands is an Urban Village that boasts Built Green neighborhoods, highly rated schools, many recreational opportunities, open space, retail, and public-transit options. With premiere neighborhoods and so much space to build and develop, Issaquah has a lot to offer for those looking to build a custom home.

Issaquah Architects Provide Home Design Suited to Your Tastes

This area was essential in the early days when pioneers were traveling from the Eastern Cascades to the Puget Sound. Much of the original architecture was based around wood structures that highlighted function. Issaquah architects often call back to this important piece of the city’s logging and timber history in many of their designs today, but they are not limited by it.

With so much space to develop, design, and build, Issaquah architecture inculcates the most luxurious and innovative of design taste. Issaquah architects relish the opportunity to help bring homeowners’ “dream homes” to life. Tasteful modern architecture with infusions of traditional aesthetics and intentional incorporation of the wooded landscape—all of it can be found in these neighborhoods.

Custom home designers are always in high demand from residents seeking to establish a sense of home in these premier neighborhoods. Issaquah luxury architects have made their mark with spectacular homes from the shores of the lake to the highlands.

Featured Project: Sammamish Tuscan

Designed by Gelotte Hommas Drivdahl
Sammamish Tuscan, a slice of Italian countryside hidden away in Sammamish.

Sammamish Tuscan embodies traditional Mediterranean elegance. When visitors approach the auto court, the terra cotta roof and verdant greenery immediately transport them to the Tuscan countryside. Inside, striking arches, warm neutrals, and authentic fixtures invite visitors to wonder at the rich history hidden within the design.

Designed by Gelotte Hommas Drivdahl
The pool stretches out toward the horizon, melding with the waterfront beyond.

A faded pastoral mural adorns the master bathroom and mosaic tiles continue to breathe story from the walls of the estate. Colors, curves, and moldings provide continuity throughout the whole of the home. Ornate mantles and antique tapestries exude craftsmanship and enrich the Italian ambiance of this Pacific Northwest abode. This masterpiece work by our founding partner, Curtis Gelotte, demonstrates that there are truly no limits on creativity or desire in a luxury Issaquah architecture project.

Issaquah Architects for Your Home

As local Issaquah architects, we constantly pursue the art of architecture as the calling for our work. The constantly evolving community of Issaquah provides us with an endless opportunity to answer this calling in original and dynamic ways. We delight in the process of merging the preferences and imaginations of our clients with the distinct character of the Issaquah location that they select to build their dream home.

Every project presents a new opportunity to consider more deeply how we merge form with function, and to paint a portrait in architecture of our clients’ unique lifestyles.  Serving that purpose is our life’s work and greatest honor.

To learn more about designing your custom home, contact us.