In the 1920s, prolific Seattle house designer and builder Samuel Anderson answered questions about his field for the Seattle Star. A beautiful modern home, be it an English cottage or Norman design, he wrote, must suit the lot, meet the owners' every convenience (and budget), beautify the neighborhood, and "absorb the new." That last point is exactly what happened to the house Anderson built and designed in 1926 for lumber executive Walter Virgin; the most recent owners added a two-story "modernist conservatory" to the back, connecting the living spaces to the extensive backyard.

Virgin and his wife Lelah bought two lots on Federal Avenue East along the western edge of Volunteer Park and set a budget of an estimated $30,000—about four times the average housebuilding budget then. They hired the prolific, well-reputed Anderson, who finished the Virgins' estate in the French Norman style, complete with a brick facade, turret, leaded glass windows, and rich mahogany trim and oak floors on the interior.

In 2017, a $3 million project by the most recent owners set out to update the house and expand a small '90s-style rear addition, making better use of the double lot the Virgins had purchased—now 0.57 acres. As chronicled in both the New York Times and Dwell, Chadbourne + Doss Architects and Bellan Construction worked to seamlessly combine Anderson's original details with modern amenities, like a chef's kitchen and heated roof deck.

On the main floor, many of the front rooms were kept as-is, including the winding staircase inside the turret, and the barrel vault in the dining room ceiling. There are a few tweaks here and there, like the blackened-steel surround that wraps the fireplace (one of four in the house), and widened door openings. A new plastered arch was made to mimic the existing arches and connect to the rear addition.

There, find the expansive kitchen, replete with custom walnut cabinetry, white marble counters, and a bespoke metal stove hood. Both it and a nearby family room have generous views into the backyard, accessing an exterior sunken patio via two sets of glass doors, with basalt tile floors both inside and out. Upstairs, the addition holds the glassed-in primary bedroom and the heated roof deck it shares with a guest room, all stepped back so a slice of green roof at the perimeter softens the edge. The primary bathroom received its own streamlined makeover with the same marble, walnut, and black metal palette found elsewhere.

Though the 5,117-square-foot home is substantial, the backyard vies for attention. Extensive landscaping by Alchemie weaves around outbuildings like the playhouse-turned-guesthouse, merging old and new on par with the interior. A brick potting shed features a server window that doubles as a bar for parties, a trellis strung with fairy lights illuminates a twenty-foot table, and a detached garage shelters the hot tub. If that's not enough, Volunteer Park is still close, of course, with the brick water tower and its own conservatory within easy walking distance.

Listing Fast Facts

1626 Federal Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102
Size: 5,117 square feet, 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms
List price: $6,500,000
List date: 2/26/2026
Listing agent: Mark Hanses and Heather Dolin, Windermere RE/Capitol Hill, Inc