Category Archives for Addition

This 1909 home with a 60’s DIY renovation was inching away from livable. The lower had been converted to living space illegally, and the original details of the home had been damaged and forgotten. The house was raised about two and a half feet to create a legal (and comfortable) head height, and a flexible guest suite/AirbNb space was created. Our homeowner tackled this project head-on and was hyper-focused on every detail. She even chose a slightly smaller refrigerator to match the scale of the home.

Situated on a slightly sloped corner lot, this front-and-center rancher was ready for a facelift. The bones spoke of an unrealized ambition to become a prairie-style craftsman, with several unique level changes and rooflines that reflected the slope of the hillside. We introduced a water table as a continuous horizontal band to visually ground the busy facade. Beams, windows, and doors were cased in stained hardwood on the interior while several fireplaces keep rooms cozy and warm.

After working hard on the peninsula for many years, our homeowners wanted to play in Santa Cruz in their retirement. They lucked out when they found a property just blocks from the cliffs in Santa Cruz. It had been severely neglected over the years, so they knew it would be a complete renovation. They requested a second story addition to capture a view of the ocean, and clean, open living space connected to the outdoors. Today, they can be found drinking coffee on one of their patios or just returning from a walk to the lighthouse.

Many older ranch homes in the Bay Area don’t include a functional master suite. Our homeowner in Walnut Creek decided it was time to fix their rancher by adding a master suite off the back. We maintained views and access to the yard by extending only the back of the garage to create an L-shaped addition. The L created more space than needed for the master, so we were able to create several great bonus spaces – an eat-in area next to the kitchen; a laundry room; and a mud room/drop-zone off the garage to keep the clutter out of the house.

After living in New Mexico for many years, our homeowners chose to retire in Concord, CA to be closer to the grandkids. As an artist, she wanted a wide open living space to display her artwork. By tearing out a wall between the kitchen and the living room, we were able to create a wonderful space to showcase her art collection. Our homeowners also required a more modern master suite, so we added a new bathroom and walk-in closet into the side yard.

While the existing kitchen and dining room in this Berkeley home had plenty of space, the partition between the two rooms made the dining area much too large - while stifling the kitchen. Removing the partition allowed the kitchen to take over space it desparately needed. We're proud that our client broke the mold and did not require the sink.Our homeowner had already done a wonderful job renovating the exterior of her Alameda craftsman home. Next on her list was to capture the basement space and remodel her kitchen. Because her foundation needed to be replaced and Alameda’s planning process made lifting her home a difficult proposition, we opted to excavate about two feet to achieve a comfortable ceiling height.