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My Houzz: Bay-Inspired Palette for a California Family Home
An interior designer brings the grays and blues of San Francisco Bay inside her waterfront property
“I have a bit of an addiction to houses and have bought a property almost every year since my youngest daughter, Lulu, was born,” says Beverley, pictured on the left with Lulu and their terrier mix, Peanut. “All of them I have renovated to some extent, including a couple of properties on the beach in Australia and a property on the coast of Puglia in Italy. My current project is a villa on the banks of Lake Como.”
The family of three moved into their bayside home in 2014.
See the interior designer’s previous home in Woodside, California
The family of three moved into their bayside home in 2014.
See the interior designer’s previous home in Woodside, California
A cozy cushioned bench occupies a corner of the living room. Beverley removed a built-in shelving unit and had the bench custom-made out of travertine stone.
The driftwood sculpture is by Leo Bersamina, and the painting is by Nga Waiata.
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The driftwood sculpture is by Leo Bersamina, and the painting is by Nga Waiata.
Find decorative pillows in the Houzz Shop
This view from the living room shows its relation to the kitchen.
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Find a local hardwood flooring professional on Houzz
The dining room’s LaCantina doors fold back to bring the outside in.
“When I purchased the house, I tried to tell myself that I was only going to change out the dark wood floors for lighter French oak. However, I ended up changing every single surface in the entire house,” Beverley says. “I restained the wood ceilings, retextured all of the walls and renovated the bathrooms. Nothing was left untouched.” The homeowner worked with general contractor Steve Peterson of Custom Homes of Woodside.
Beverley stained and lightened the original 1980s wood ceiling to blend with the new hardwood floors.
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“When I purchased the house, I tried to tell myself that I was only going to change out the dark wood floors for lighter French oak. However, I ended up changing every single surface in the entire house,” Beverley says. “I restained the wood ceilings, retextured all of the walls and renovated the bathrooms. Nothing was left untouched.” The homeowner worked with general contractor Steve Peterson of Custom Homes of Woodside.
Beverley stained and lightened the original 1980s wood ceiling to blend with the new hardwood floors.
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“The original kitchen was very dark, shiny and overpowering,” Beverley says. “So I listed the original Poggenpohl cabinets for sale on Craigslist, and someone bought them all, along with the appliances. My contractor delivered the whole kitchen to a homeowner in the East Bay.”
The renovated kitchen features a custom hood. “I wanted a simple hood above the stove, so I had one constructed out of wood,” she says.
The renovated kitchen features a custom hood. “I wanted a simple hood above the stove, so I had one constructed out of wood,” she says.
The white cabinets and the open shelves by the stove keep the space feeling airy and light. They are finished in an Italian laminate.
“It was important to me that the detailing in the kitchen was as simple and flush as possible. I wanted clean lines, so I made sure the Sub-Zero refrigerator blended into the cabinets,” the homeowner says. “To make sure that the kitchen wasn’t too plain and simple, I used a combination of two different colorways for the cabinets and Caesarstone quartz countertops.”
What’s the Difference Between Quartzite and Quartz Countertops?
What’s the Difference Between Quartzite and Quartz Countertops?
The house has a fabulous view of Richardson Bay, an arm of San Francisco Bay. The dock on the beach houses a kayak and a few stand-up paddleboards, which Beverley and her daughters take across to Sausalito.
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Shop for outdoor dining sets on Houzz
The wide back deck runs off the dining room. Beverley chose outdoor furniture made from Corian that would withstand the coastal climate.
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Shop for an outdoor sectional
This view shows the steps that go from the front door to the street. To improve the light, Beverley replaced dark, scrubby bushes with retaining walls and a bench.
She also replaced the original 1980s front door with a custom wood door and a frosted-glass side panel. The rug is woven plastic. The painting is by Brian Huber.
Beverley’s daughter Hayley created this Lucite mobile during her first year studying industrial design at the Rhode Island School of Design. It’s the result of a project based on Hayley’s experience of growing up in many different houses.
Beverley’s home office is on the top floor of the house, which looks out on the road in one direction and to San Francisco in the other. When Beverley bought the house, there was an elevator where her desk is now. It went down three floors to the main entrance and down to the lower level.
On this top floor, there is a small deck where two people can sit comfortably and watch the cyclists, dogs and walkers go by on their way to the park at the end of the street.
On this top floor, there is a small deck where two people can sit comfortably and watch the cyclists, dogs and walkers go by on their way to the park at the end of the street.
The white cabinetry in Beverley’s office is custom. The paintings are by Kathryn Keller.
The master bedroom has a view of the city and Belvedere Island. “The view is amazing at sunrise,” Beverley says. On the wall is another painting by Waiata.
The original master bathroom had a wall separating the sink and the shower areas. Beverley removed it and installed a large walk-in steam shower with a bench made from Caesarstone. The large-format tiles are from Porcelanosa; the walls have a glossy finish, while the floor has a matte finish.
Why Homeowners Are Remodeling Their Master Bathrooms in 2018
Why Homeowners Are Remodeling Their Master Bathrooms in 2018
“I found a wall-mounted vanity from Laufen that fit the space exactly,” Beverley says.
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Shop for wall-mounted vanities
One window in the master bathroom has a perfect view of the bay and Angel Island.
Hayley’s bedroom is on the main floor. It’s sparsely decorated since she’s away at college. Both pieces of art are by Terry Hoff.
Empty Nesters: 8 Ways a Spare Bedroom Can Enhance Your Lifestyle
Empty Nesters: 8 Ways a Spare Bedroom Can Enhance Your Lifestyle
The bathroom on the main floor is just off the main entrance. Beverley used a textured tile to give the room some movement.
Modern Bathroom Essential: Know Your Options for Shower Glass
Modern Bathroom Essential: Know Your Options for Shower Glass
The house is built on the slope of a hill rising above the water, so all the floors have decks and full bay views. The family room, on the lower floor, is used primarily by Beverley’s daughters.
Lulu’s bedroom is on the bottom floor beside the family room. Sliding glass doors lead out to a deck and allow in plenty of natural light.
Open white shelving units provide display space. “Lulu is the master arranger and has a real talent for organizing things,” Beverley says. “She continually art-directs and changes the items on her shelves.”
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More on Houzz
Get photo inspiration and ideas
Find a pro for your remodel
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My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
More on Houzz
Get photo inspiration and ideas
Find a pro for your remodel
Shop for home products
Who lives here: Beverley Harper; her daughters, Hayley, 21, and Lulu, 18; and their 8-year-old terrier mix, Peanut
Location: Tiburon, California
Size: 3,200 square feet (297 square meters); three bedrooms, three bathrooms
Interior designer Beverley Harper lives exactly where she had always dreamed of living for decades. “I used to ride my mountain bike down this street 25 years ago and decided then that this was the place where I wanted to live,” she says.
Located on picturesque Richardson Bay in Tiburon, California, her 1984 house has a private beach and an amazing view of San Francisco. Windows reaching from the floor to the high ceiling allow an abundance of natural light into the main living area. Both sets of bifold doors open to a wide deck.
“The most important thing for me was to have the inside of the house blend into the outside,” Beverley says. “I didn’t want the interior and the exterior to fight with each other. I wanted them to be in harmony.”
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