REMODELING SAN FRANCISCO: CONNECTEDNESS AND PRIVACY FOR YOUNG FAMILY - A SMALL ADDITION MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE
Most young families can attest that as your kids get older, there’s a dual need for more connectedness and more privacy. Parents want their own quiet space to retreat to but also desire an open living space to cook, eat, play and connect with growing kids. We found the perfect marriage of both worlds by making a modest addition to a modestly sized house. Find out how we used a creative floor plan for functional efficiency in our newest rendition of remodeling San Francisco at 5th Avenue.
BUILDING A MASTER BEDROOM AND ENSUITE BATH
The primary motivation for remodeling this 1907 home was to maintain the four upstairs bedrooms while adding an ensuite master bathroom for the parents. To achieve this, we expanded the back facade 7×15 feet and developed a creative floor plan that carves just slightly into the guest bedroom.
CONTEMPORARY KITCHEN AND FAMILY ROOM
Downstairs, the original kitchen and dining room areas were closed off, dark and outdated. Our team remedied the problem by adding 220 square feet to the back of the house for a new family room and breakfast nook, seamlessly integrated with the kitchen in an open floor plan. The contemporary u-shaped design between kitchen, family room and dining room allow for increased circulation while maintaining distinction between each space.
Clean lines allow for an unobstructed view of the backyard, even from the farthest point of the kitchen (which was badly in need of help). As Jeff puts it, “The 40-year old kitchen was old, decrepit and falling apart.” Our full renovation upgraded the kitchen’s functionality and style with wood and caesarstone countertops, built-in recycling and composting centers and hidden cabinetry.
The family room’s cabinetry is also designed to maximize space with modern simplicity. The unit includes two fold-down secretaries for his and her desks, file cabinets and an enclosed printer area. Even the TV is disguised behind the sliding bookshelf door for a clean look. Floor to ceiling windows connect the entire living space with the backyard while letting in natural light. Mom, dad and both kids naturally gravitate to this comfortable, airy space to spend time together.
SAN FRANCISCO BACKYARD AND GARDEN
While the backyard is still a small space, it now feels private and lush. A brand new bluestone patio and FSC machiche deck gives the family plenty of lounging room while the gardenscape provides privacy from surrounding homes. The kids have a stretch of lawn to run and play, while a zipline connects the house to a tree fort at the property’s edge.
GREENPOINT RATED FEATURES
This project was built to GreenPoint Rated standards including a planted green roof, highly reflective roof, rainwater collection piped back to toilets for flushing, and 96% efficiency heat and hot water delivery. The high durability exterior requires no painting or maintenance over time due to the natural cedar shingles, untreated wood decking, bluestone patio, aluminum clad windows, copper gutters and galvanized railings. All products used for the interior are Low VOC and all lumber is FSC certified. We salvaged everything possible from the original kitchen including butcher blocks reused in the new design.
PRESERVING EDWARDIAN CHARM
When it comes to design, the homeowners wanted to indulge their contemporary design taste while honoring the Edwardian features of this 1907 home. Nods to traditional San Francisco design include all original trim, staircase balustrades and wainscoting, and v-groove ceiling boards in the master bedroom.
The family now enjoys a more efficient, comfortable home that allows for more privacy and more connectedness between parents and kids. A contemporary floor plan brings in light and openness while traditional details preserve the Edwardian charm. Best of all, indoor and outdoor are integrated for a private sanctuary in the middle of San Francisco.
Material Used :
1. Facade cladding: white cedar shingle
2. Flooring: stained oak
3. Doors: Eagle/Anderson (wood w/ aluminum cladding)
4. Windows: ditto
5. Roofing: membrane roofing
6. Interior lighting: Cree lighting (LED)
7. Interior furniture: Room & Board
8. Custom cabinetry in the kitchen & primary bath; Caesarstone & butcher block countertops in kitchen, Caesarstone vanity top in bathroom; Viking range
