For Eric and Christine Larsen, the yearand- a-half remodel of their Seattle home on Capitol Hill home came together when Thanksgiving dinner was served without guests and cooks colliding in the kitchen. And, unlike previous years, the basement was worth venturing into, with its floor-length glass doors, temperature-controlled wine room and children's play loft.

Like many older homes in the city, the latte-colored abode sits in a tightly built row of similar houses, with a small yard and garage. Located just off Aloha Street, it's in the kind of picturesque neighborhood you'd walk your dog through on summer evenings. Inside the 5,000-square-foot home are dark woods, oriental carpets, antique wainscoting and stained-glass windows.

Project architect Amber Murray, of Seattlebased Castanes Architects, says it's rare to find an older home that hasn't been redone in some way. In the case of the Larsens', the kitchen was victim to a poorly envisioned remodel during the mid-'90s. The location of the entryway resu lted in flow issues and congestion. "They knew that it wasn't working," Murray says.

Eric, head of the information systems group within BlackRock Alternative Advisors, and Christine, a community volunteer, decided to embark on what Christine calls the "big adventure," out of frustration with the kitchen and basement in their 1910 home, which they purchased in 2004.

The project soon doubled, encompassing basic structural, wiring and plumbing improvements, as well as modern utilitarian features, such as a widened garage with a rooftop herb garden, sunken patio outside the basement, media room and skylights.

In June 2006, the couple moved their three children, now ages 2, 4 and 7, into a two-bedroom apartment while the bulk of the structural work was done. They returned in May 2007 and were wrapping up the final touches in late November, just in time for Eric's family to make the trip from Dallas for Thanksgiving.

Christine, a former business process consultant and corporate facilitator with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), says the couple's work backgrounds likely saved them a few headaches while shopping for a contractor and architect.

"You plan for the best, but you have to manage the surprises," she says. "It all comes down to people and their skills."

Architects' references were checked. Contractors came to the home for interviews and were asked for detailed estimates.

"We wanted high-quality, fundamental good stuff in the house, but nothing was going to be one-of-a-kind," says Christine, noting that the couple's practical approach ruled out one specialty contractor.

She says she found a good balance with Caledonia Bay Builders, a Seattle firm recommended by Castanes Architects.

"Personalitywise, we really like Toby [Taylor]' s approach and how he talked about his crew," Christine says of the contractor. "For the last six months, they've been showing up at 7 a.m. My kids are still eating breakfast, and these guys are in the house."

"Jim probably tends more toward the modern," she says of Castanes' style. "And we were trying to stick as much toward the traditional. But we didn't want to miss a bunch of great stuff."

Among the modern elements incorporated into the house are retractable glass doors in the basement, a "green roof" on the garage and a pair of skylights on the top floor.

One of the skylights, in a former walk-in storage area-turned-laundry room, provides needed ventilation and "one of the best views in the house," says Christine. "That's not traditional, but from the inside they work really well, and from the outside you can't really see them."

As with most renovation projects, the Larsens encountered their share of complications. Adding four feet to the side of the garage required a variance from the city of Seattle that took longer to get than the renovation permit. Foundational footings had to be installed around the base of the old home. In addition, a custom steel archway had to be placed inside the wall near the kitchen to support the newly elongated windows.