Evelyn Avenue Modern
A couple with two small children needed an addition to their family home. Their California bungalow lacked a comfortable living space, and they decided on a second story for family bedrooms and a lower level extension of the public spaces.
A large portion of the existing house was gutted and reorganized, leaving little untouched. The main level includes an open planned living room, dining room, kitchen, and family room that collectively extends from the front entry to the back of the house. This visually unifies the living spaces and connects them to the front and rear gardens. The kitchen, embedded between the living and dining rooms, creates a compression that naturally organizes the different spaces. Windows are located to encourage light in the tight urban layout. The family owns several art pieces they wanted to showcase, including an abstract pig painting that we located on the dining room wall so it could be appreciated from multiple angles. A friend’s company produces the banana leaf wallpaper that backdrops the metal handrail on the open staircase. Overall, the design utilizes minimal architectural elements while bringing warmth and creativity into the heart of the home.
A new upper level was set towards the back of the house to capture Bay Area views in the primary bedroom. Existing porch arches remain to better relate with the surrounding houses. The exterior is finished in contrasting white stucco and dark Yakisugi siding, an ancient Japanese preservation technique using fire to char cedar. This process naturally renders the siding water and insect repellent and adds cool and warm tones in the sunlight. Ipe decking connects the back of the house to the garden, accessed by an accordion door system.
“We love our home. That is the simplest statement we can make about the outcome of working with Stacy and her amazing team. We decided to work with Stacy based on her design sensibility and her deep experience designing homes in our local area. What we got was extreme care and attention to detail that caused our General Contractor to state that the construction documents were the most detailed they had ever seen. For us, that was comforting to know that we had worked with an architect and team that had thought through so many of the key elements that we may encounter in what is inevitably a long and difficult process. Stacy prepared us as well as possible. Beyond the details, Stacy's collaborative process and guiding hand at design resulted in what we believe is not only a beautiful home but one that is also so comfortable to live in. We feel extremely lucky to have the home we do and just as lucky to have found Stacy and team to help us make it a reality. Thank you, Stacy!” - Eddie (Client)
- Photographs by Mark Compton, Mark Compton Photography