This existing single story home had a small, outdated kitchen and a single bathroom that didn’t reflect the style of the new owners. At first, the project focused on improving the kitchen and creating a bathroom that felt truly theirs. With a baby on the way, the need for more functional space and a place to host grandparents became even more important. At the same time, the identification of serious waterproofing issues on the south side of the building necessitated shifting and expanding the budget for roofing to include new windows, additional doors and a complete reworking of the failing waterproofing layers.
Working with the clients to deliver a high quality aesthetic while minimizing cost on items that weren’t important to them freed up budget for the necessary repairs and delivered an insulated roof and wall system for their growing family.
The waterproofing was done just in time for the beginning of a rainy fall and winter. The house is now ready for the elements, a future upgrade to a mini-split heat pump system and visits from grandparents near and far.
Virginia Ave Addition
Oakland
Interior Design: Aimee Inouye
Design: Martin Gunst
During the design and pre-construction phase, we worked with the homeowners to identify the areas of greatest impact. Achieving their goals in the kitchen and bathroom finish quality was not a place to compromise, and they wanted to maintain the easy flow from indoor food preparation to outdoor seating and vice versa during the warm summer months.
We found a reputable fiberglass french door option that would tick all the boxes and blend seamlessly with the modern design for 1/4 of the price of name brand french doors. It came with a lifetime warranty that meets or exceeds the industry standard too.
Strong geometric patterns balanced by simple modern details pull this bathroom together. Look closely at the shower. Or is it a tub? The tub filler spout was purposely installed to make it easy to wash muddy feet, dogs and fill buckets of water without needing a separate utility sink.
When we were finalizing the kitchen tile selection, we noticed that the original hand crafted Zellige would have long lead times and be difficult to clean in this application. A quick trip to the local tile store, and the clients found an equally appealing ceramic option that was locally available and sealed against tomato sauce splatter.
Geometric patterns require precise cutting and setting to appear beautiful from all angles and light. We worked with our tile masons to determine the best fit for the job and supervised the installation to ensure the tile meshed seamlessly with the windows and transitioned between the various spaces in the home smoothly.
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