In This Kirkland Home, Family Legacy Meets Modern Living

For real estate investor and television host James Dainard, renovating houses is second nature. But transforming his grandparents’ longtime home in Kirkland was a project unlike any he had taken on before.

“This is one of the hardest renovations I’ve had to do,” Dainard said. “A rule in flipping is, don’t fall in love with the project — but this one was hard not to love.”

Featured on Season 2 of the Dainard-hosted “Million Dollar Zombie Flips,” the Houghton neighborhood project covers the house where Dainard spent countless holidays, played with cousins, and made decades of childhood memories. Before construction began, the home stood as a near-perfect time capsule.

“It looked exactly how I remembered it from being a kid,” Dainard said. “My grandma’s original wallpaper was still in the kitchen. Everything was pretty much the same as it was when I used to go there for holidays.”

Dainard found himself reflecting on childhood egg hunts while deciding how to update the yard’s landscaping. He even had a rosebush relocated to his mother’s home rather than removed.

“There was an internal battle between what would keep my grandparents’ original charm versus what we needed to do to get the highest price for my family,” he said. “I wanted to keep the sports court because I had so many memories on it, but likely buyers were going to prefer a yard over a concrete surface in the backyard.”

The hardest part came when it was time to start tearing things down. Dainard had everybody leave the house for 30 minutes before demolition started so he could have a final moment in it.

“It’s the only house I’ve ever left during demo,” he said.

Returning to the site was overwhelming, Dainard said, but rather than dwell in nostalgia, he quickly shifted focus to helping his family get the most proceeds from the sale as possible. The goal of the project was to preserve the house’s original character while giving it a “timeless update” to increase value.

Pushing through 40 years of memories with the goal of supporting his family in mind, Dainard created a revitalized home that balances traditional style with modern function.

The exterior remained largely unchanged, maintaining its familiar silhouette with subtle updates, including black-gridded windows and a fresh coat of paint. Dainard wanted to ensure it still felt like “Grandpa’s house” at first glance.

Inside, major updates took place, including a complete renovation of the kitchen, primary suite, and living spaces. The kitchen, in particular, was a central focus.

“Originally, we planned for a larger, wider kitchen with an island,” Dainard said. “When we opened up the ceiling, we saw the framing had been cut short, and the joists weren’t going to allow us to get the width needed to create the island, so we had to pivot and do a pass-through kitchen with a peninsula instead.”

Installing an island would have required replacing all the main floor joists, Dainard said, making the un- expected change a major cost-saver. Upstairs, renovating the primary suite meant flipping — literally, in this case — the entire floor plan.

“The layout was backwards for maximizing the value of the home,” Dainard explained. “The closet and bathroom faced the view side of the house, and that needed to be flipped to the street side of the house.”

Now, the layout maximizes view visibility and access to the outdoors. Bifold doors, matching those off the living room, were added with the intention of encouraging new inhabitants to enjoy morning coffee on the deck while admiring Lake Washington.

Dainard and his team kept their focus on maintaining the house’s original warm and inviting feel without over-modernizing it. He described the completed project as “a traditional two-story house that almost has a ‘Leave It to Beaver’ feel.”

“The home had been there for over 50 years,” Dainard said. “We wanted to give it a renovation where it could last another 50 years or more.”

Although it was one of his most difficult flips to date, Dainard said it was well worth it.

“My grandparents were some of the most giving people I’ve ever met,” he said. “This project was about making sure their legacy remained while also taking care of our family the way they always did.”

The Kitchen

Once a small, enclosed corner, the kitchen was expanded dramatically — nearly tripling in size. Wide-plank white oak flooring, shaker-style cabinetry in warm gray tones, and natural stone countertops create a space designed for both everyday living and entertaining.

Living Spaces

Designed with family life in mind, the home now embraces indoor-outdoor living. Large bifold doors connect the main living area to the backyard, creating an open flow ideal for gatherings — a nod to the home’s history of hosting holidays and celebrations.

The Primary Suite

The reimagined primary suite reverses the original layout to maximize views of Lake Washington. A five-piece bathroom, freestanding tub, oversized dual-head shower, and floating vanity elevate the space while new tile and warmer finishes add a modern touch inspired by the home’s original design.