By MBAKS Content Strategist James Slone
A conversation with J. Michael Bogan of
JM Bogan Remodeling and Benjamin and
Courtenay Gebhardt of Blue Sound Construction.
This classic Tudor Revival home
in Magnolia was given new life by
Blue Sound Construction.
The cities of the Puget Sound
are relatively young, but
they boast an impressive
array of classic early-twentiethcentury
homes. From Victorian
mansions to Modernist
masterpieces, these houses
speak to our region’s history and
aesthetic sensibilities.
But all things age, and the
remaining pockets of these
old-timers need special care to
keep on impressing. Thankfully,
lovers of these homes are
well-served by remodelers,
contractors, and architects
who’ve made renovation and
restoration part of their trade.
It’s not easy preserving the
original charm of an old house
while adhering to modern code
and meeting a client’s goals. I
reached out to two companies
with reputations for quality, JM Bogan Remodeling and Blue
Sound Construction, to get a
sense of how they navigate this
tricky, three-way balancing act.
JM Bogan built this
Modern Victorian home with
architects Board & Vellum for
clients passionate about 19th
century design.
Learning From the Classics
Established in 1977, Fall
City-based JM Bogan
Remodeling takes a customercentric
approach to residential
and commercial projects.
As a design-build company
that integrates planning and
construction from the start,
their work runs the gamut of
remodels, restorations, and
custom work.
The company, now in its second
generation, was founded
by J. Michael Bogan over 46
years ago. Michael already
had ample experience in
residential remodeling when
he began working in historic
neighborhoods in Bellingham
and Whatcom County, so
restoration was a natural fit.
“I possessed a basic
understanding of geometry
[essential to the design of many
older homes], a good work ethic,
and a desire to learn,” Michael
says. “There were Victorians
and Craftsman Bungalows,
log homes and barns. I fell in
love with the craft and found
opportunities to do some
wonderful things.”
When it comes to style, Michael
admires a wide range of old
homes, but ultimately it’s about
the client. “Whether the home
is painted or stained, on Queen
Anne Hill or the mountains,
producing what the client wants
is what matters most.” And
it’s achieving their vision that
Michael finds most satisfying.
For Blue Sound Construction,
a Seattle-based construction
company established in 2006,
working with old homes was
something they always knew
they wanted to do. With a high
level of technical knowledge
and craft, they felt they
could accomplish something
“meaningful and profound.”
“We grew up admiring old
homes’ charm, and trying
to understand the source
of that charm has been a
lifelong personal passion,”
says Co-Founder and Director
Courtenay Gebhardt. This
led the company to “research
geometric proportions,
preservation tactics, and the
history of European craft
organizations.”
When I ask Courtenay about
her favorite styles, she mentions
Tudors, Craftsman homes,
Foursquares, and Mid-Century
Moderns. But what she loves
most isn’t any one type.
It’s “working on respectful
renovations that honor the
home’s innate design language.”
“When architects are careful
to maintain the proportions,
regulating lines, and character
of the original, there’s a sort
of harmony that reverberates
throughout both the home and
its surroundings.”
A handsomely restored washroom
in a Foursquare in Queen Anne, by
Blue Sound Construction.
That Special Something
Restoring or renovating a classic
home means bringing a high
level of craftsmanship and skill
to every facet of the project. But
that’s just the starting point. Any
company taking on this kind of
work needs to bring something
extra to the table if they want a
result that hits the mark.
What sets a company like JM
Bogan apart, says Michael, is
the “experience that comes
with being a multigenerational
company.” That sense of
passing the torch through the
generations dovetails nicely
with the work of classic
home restoration.
“JM Bogan Co. is truly a family
team. My own construction
experience began in 1975 and my
son Brandon grew up around
construction in the late 1980s
to the early 2000s. Together, we
have the combined experience
and knowledge our clients
need—administration, trade
skills, and execution.”
These assets are freely
transferred to employees. “They
learn trade skills and have
opportunities to develop their
craft. It has always been a part
of our company culture to pass
it on.” That means everyone
brings a high level of expertise
to each project.
Even when you have the talent
and experience, there is no one
way to work on restoration
projects, and every home
requires its own approach. As
Michael puts it, “There is no
one-size-fits-all handbook.
Each project has its own specific
requirements.”
Meeting them calls for a trained
eye. “Sometimes the task is
simple; sometimes it’s complex.
At times discernment seems to
come naturally, but it’s really
a learned skill—like hitting
a bullseye at 100 yards, it’s
something you learn by doing.”
For Courtenay, going the extra
mile means working with
architects who understand
classical design. “Because
they’re trained in the aesthetic
principles underlying a lot of
historic buildings, they have
a built-in understanding of
what’s worth preserving and
what new elements can achieve
the same effect.”
In return, Blue Sound
Construction offers a high
level of skill, craft, and cost
controls that allow them to
implement specific designs and
revise as needed. But what sets
them apart, says Courtenay’s
husband, Principal and
Co-founder Benjamin, is
their abiding appreciation for
classic homes.
“We’re deeply sensitive to the
charm of historic homes and
want to do right by them. But
we’re also realistic about pricing
and happy to offer practical
advice when the approach is
collaborative. Clients who are
clear about their values upfront
will ultimately drive what we are
able to do for them.”
Evergreen Features and Seismic Shifts
Historical transom windows
and ceiling beams in Blue Sound
Construction’s Blue Ridge Mid-
Century Modern.
As times change, so do building
standards. Many features we take
for granted these days weren’t
even an afterthought in 1920.
As a Built Green member, Blue
Sound Construction prioritizes
new sustainable building
practices, but they try to balance
the latest practices with the
original spirit of the place.
Sometimes preserving that
spirit is also the greenest
approach. Says Benjamin, “We
challenge the common idea that
disposing with old, single pane
windows—which often have
a lot of charm, inherent value,
and irreplaceability—represents
huge energy savings.”
By sealing leaks, applying fresh
weatherstripping, repairing
the glazing, and swapping
components, “the insulative
difference between an old
window and a new doublepaned
windows is minimal.” Not
only that, but windows tuned up
with high-quality materials can
“outlast a replacement window.
“We think preservation and
beauty are probably the most
neglected topics when it comes
to environmental impact,” says
Benjamin. “A beautiful building is
unlikely to be torn down over the
long run, and that prevents the
carbon-intensive manufacturing
of new buildings.”
Other building standards are
less negotiable.
Making sure old homes that
didn’t succumb to prior quakes
survive the next one is always
in the back of Michael’s mind
when taking on renovations.
He recalls watching the
1989 World Series when the
earthquake shook Candlestick
Park. “It wasn’t long after
that seismic considerations
in building sciences and
construction practices became
part of code.”
“Altering or adding to an
existing structural element
today often requires structural
analysis and engineered
connections with steel, straps
and rods, and epoxy adhesives
at depth of embedment, with all
sorts of manufactured seismic
accoutrements,” explains
Michael. All these keep the
structure safely tethered to
its foundation. “We have the
technology today, and we use it.”
Out of the Past
Both companies work in
contemporary spaces as much as
in older homes, but the classics
do offer important lessons for
modern construction and have
deepened their work across
the board. For Michael and JM
Bogan, it’s understanding the
basic principles underlying all
home construction and seeing
how the puzzle fits together.
“Knowing how something is
constructed can be the next
best thing to X-ray vision. This
knowledge often provides
an understanding of how
a house can best be safely
deconstructed.” Armed with
that information, a design-build
company can achieve virtually
anything a modern remodel
might call for.
Working on the classics has led
Benjamin, Courtenay, and Blue
Sound Construction to question
some of the choices made in
contemporary homes. Says
Benjamin, “I think, for better
or for worse, it has made us a
bit skeptical of some modern
building designs and practices.
We’ve seen the things that don’t
hold up versus those that do.”
Thankfully, as long as designers
and builders keep exploring
classic homes, the wisdom of
older design will not be lost.
Using modern materials and
techniques, JM Bogan and
Blue Sound Construction
work to make sure these
treasures endure.
Passion Projects
Tudor Tune-Up
Benjamin’s favorite Blue Sound Construction project is a waterfront Tudor in
Laurelhurst, “maybe because it was our first big historic job. We rebuilt a second
staircase and replaced the main staircase’s extensive octagonal turret wall’s French
casement windows within their brick openings.”
One of several Tudors Benjamin and team were contracted to rejuvenate, the project
also involved vaulting the ceiling, installing a new leaded glass window, and adding a
claw-footed tub that complemented the original aesthetic. The result was a beautiful
and consistent interior space.
“Our work gave the home the little kiss it needed. But there are many, many
charming homes with which we enjoy an affectionate bond. They live in our minds
because we feel we played a part in their legacy.”
Georgian Revival
Michael’s favorite JM Bogan project was the full restoration of the Wurdemann
Mansion in 1995. This handsome 1915 Georgian—listed on the National
Registry of Historic Places—is the last surviving home in the “first eight”
community in Lake Forest Park in Seattle and a cherished community asset.
The two-acre home features extensive gardens and fountains, French doors,
four bedrooms, a library, and a carriage house. JM Bogan was hired to restore
much of the home, indoors and out, including additions in the form of the new
master bathroom and sewing room and the transformation of the carriage
house into into an ADU and three-car garage.
JM Bogan strove to preserve the existing structure and ensure new millwork
matched the old. For their impressive efforts, they received MBAKS’ 1995 REX
Award for Room Addition. Says Michael, “It was a wonderful opportunity and
a feather in my cap. More than a quarter century later, it still stands.”
finding-beauty-in-balance-the-art-of-restoring-classic-homes