My Houzz: Whimsy and Art for a Northwest Home

Peeking into the homes of artists often gives a glimpse into the things that inspire their work. In the 1936 home of Richard and Kate Vander Wende, inspiration comes in the form of animals, fantasy and whimsy. Richard, a visual designer and video game designer, provides visual reminders of characters he has created over the years. Kate, a painter and visual artist, adds color to the walls with her own still lifes and works by friends.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Kate and Richard Vander Wende
Location: Spokane, Washington
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 2 studio spaces
Year built: 1936

Kate and Richard have their own creative sanctuaries. Kate’s painting studio and office houses her works in progress and displays some of her favorite past installations.


Simple, understated shelving in Kate’s studio displays a collection of her favorite smaller paintings.


A Mickey Mouse rocker in Richard’s office serves as a visual reminder of his time working for Disney as production designer for the animated feature film Aladdin.

“Pre-Internet research was primarily conducted via reams of bound paper,” Richard says. “Thus, there are numerous reference books in our living room and studio.”


Richard’s office is filled with some of the characters he has helped create through the years, mixed with a collection of midcentury Golden Books that remind him of his childhood.


One of the features that drew the couple to their house was the fact that it was “gently worn, and hadn’t been remuddled,” as Richard puts it. “We were the first owners outside the original family that built it, and we’ve tried to keep the bones of the house as intact as possible.” Kate describes their design aesthetic as postmodern. Their home bears a museum-like quality without sacrificing warmth and charm. The Vander Wendes put a great deal of thought and consideration into each piece that they bring into their home.



One of the few changes the couple made to the home’s original floor plan was converting the home’s attic into a cozy master bedroom.


A bright breakfast nook in the kitchen is watched over by a spirited piece by artist Jacques Flechemuller.


Various original pieces of Kate’s playful artwork can be found throughout the home. She also collects paintings from many of her friends, such as this dog painting by Jacques Flechemuller.


“Our social living space is an ongoing work in progress — a study in resonant similarities and contrasts,” says Richard. A gilded pig sits in the center of the darkly painted dining room, and in the evening is spotlighted from above as a bold focal point.

Various animal figurines displayed throughout serve as key 3D reference pieces for Richard’s work as a visual designer. He says the animals “have a direct, practical relationship to my work as a film designer, which often entails the challenge of creating believable fictitious creatures.”


A small tribute to their loyal family dog, Obi, also sits in the dining room, keeping watch over their home bar.


The home has a lighthearted narrative throughout, with many imaginative, playful vignettes, such as the one in this corner of the dining room.

Landscape paintings: James Lavadour; dog portrait: Jacques Flechemuller


The couple initially moved to Spokane from Los Angeles so Richard could work on the CD-ROM game Riven, the sequel to the game Myst, thinking the move would be temporary. “As Californians, we definitely felt like expats in the beginning here,” says Richard, pictured above with Kate. But now, nearly 20 years later, they definitely feel at home in their cozy house.

My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.

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URL: My Houzz: Whimsy and Art for a Northwest Home http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-26290.html