Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Family Home Grows and Gets a New Face
An addition and an architectural renovation lead to an elegant yet comfy Craftsman for a California family of 6
‘I give a lot of the aesthetic credit to my clients. They put their heart and souls into this project," says residential designer Leigha Heydt. They added 705 square feet, redesigned the floor plan and changed all the prominent architectural features, Heydt says. "When they found this home, it was an outdated, modern lodge-style home with two bedrooms and two baths that had not been updated since the 1980s. They bought the home planning to enlarge it and transform it into something they loved; they wanted a comfortable but beautiful family home."
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with 3 kids and a fourth on the way
Location: Mill Valley, California
Size: 2,700 square feet; 5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with 3 kids and a fourth on the way
Location: Mill Valley, California
Size: 2,700 square feet; 5 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths
This entry foyer, the entire family room, part of the living room and the breakfast nook are all part of the new addition on the first floor.
The foyer has a formal side and a casual side, which provides a spot for sitting down, removing one's shoes and stashing them under the window seat — a smart design move for a family with young children.
The relaxed, light floors throughout the home are an engineered, prefinished product by Navarre; the top layer is real distressed oak. The color is called Montauban.
An antiqued mirrored cabinet conceals an over-the-mantel TV. Its panes provide a connection to the circular windows used on the home's facade.
Zoning regulations prohibited a picture window that Heydt had originally planned for the wall where the hutch is, so interior designer Benjamin Dhong came up with the idea of the blue and white accent wall. "It was a fantastic alternative as a desperately needed focal point," says Heydt.
Dining room pendant: Goodman Hanging Lamp by Thomas O'Brien
Dining room pendant: Goodman Hanging Lamp by Thomas O'Brien
While Heydt designed the layout of the appliances, the nook and the windows, the wife, her mother-in-law (a kitchen designer who lived on the East Coast) and interior designer Dhong and design consultant Matthew MacCaul Turner took it from there.
An oversize pendant draws the eye to the center of the room, lending balance. Cabinet-front panels camouflage the refrigerator, while bright yellow industrial counter stools add sunny color.
An oversize pendant draws the eye to the center of the room, lending balance. Cabinet-front panels camouflage the refrigerator, while bright yellow industrial counter stools add sunny color.
The wife chose the elegant Calacatta Oro marble countertops. “She has great taste, and that made a huge difference with the project,” says Heydt.
A white subway tile backpsplash and glass-front cabinet doors reflect the light and brighten the windowless wall of the kitchen.
Pendant light: Victorian Hotel Pendant, Restoration Hardware
A white subway tile backpsplash and glass-front cabinet doors reflect the light and brighten the windowless wall of the kitchen.
Pendant light: Victorian Hotel Pendant, Restoration Hardware
The built-in breakfast nook enjoys lots of natural light, thanks to the expansive windows and transoms. There is storage underneath the banquette.
The kitchen conveniently opens to the front patio, where the family loves to enjoy meals al fresco.
The kitchen conveniently opens to the front patio, where the family loves to enjoy meals al fresco.
This cozy family room proves that comfortable rooms needn't be vast. Smart custom cabinetry and media storage keep things from looking cluttered.
The room opens to the front porch, part of Heydt's careful placement of rooms in relation to the outdoor spaces. "The connection to the landscape was very intentional. The site is very beautiful, with large, old-growth redwood trees. We wanted to make sure to feature the home's connection to the site through the use of strategically placed windows and glass French doors," says Heydt. Thus, the family room opens to the front porch, the kitchen opens to the patio, and the bedrooms have private balconies that enjoy views of the best parts of the yard.
The room opens to the front porch, part of Heydt's careful placement of rooms in relation to the outdoor spaces. "The connection to the landscape was very intentional. The site is very beautiful, with large, old-growth redwood trees. We wanted to make sure to feature the home's connection to the site through the use of strategically placed windows and glass French doors," says Heydt. Thus, the family room opens to the front porch, the kitchen opens to the patio, and the bedrooms have private balconies that enjoy views of the best parts of the yard.
A jewel box of a powder room delights with a blue faux-bois wall covering and a view outdoors in place of a mirror. A Chinese garden stool and whimsical foo dogs add Far Eastern flair.
The upstairs hallway is a perfect example of the old and new combinations seen throughout the house. It includes a traditional console table, an antique architectural element, a modern drum shade and crisp white walls.
"The existing upstairs bedrooms had vaulted ceilings with triangular windows in the upper parts of the gables," says Heydt. "Since we eliminated the triangular windows for style reasons, we replaced them with circular windows to complete the look of the new aesthetic. We still wanted windows up there, and circular windows tend to look the best in a triangular space."
"The existing upstairs bedrooms had vaulted ceilings with triangular windows in the upper parts of the gables," says Heydt. "Since we eliminated the triangular windows for style reasons, we replaced them with circular windows to complete the look of the new aesthetic. We still wanted windows up there, and circular windows tend to look the best in a triangular space."
Another dynamic wallpaper accent adds a jolt of bright color without overwhelming the girls' bedroom. The room is a fresh mix of contemporary and Victorian pieces, including painted Victorian twin beds and a Swedish modern wicker pendant.
"We added the balcony to the girls' room to complement the master bedroom patio and to create an exterior architectural element over the breakfast nook," says Heydt.
The guest bath is clean and contemporary. Boston Library Lights are an unexpected and clever choice for bathroom lighting.
Tip: A vanity on a base like this one or mounted to the wall can make a modest bathroom feel more spacious.
Tip: A vanity on a base like this one or mounted to the wall can make a modest bathroom feel more spacious.
The bedroom is centered upon the cathedral ceiling's beam. It also has a private balcony that looks out over the front yard.
"The rooms are very compact, but the house feels more spacious than it actually is due to the tall, vaulted ceilings, the windows and the glass doors," says Heydt.
"The rooms are very compact, but the house feels more spacious than it actually is due to the tall, vaulted ceilings, the windows and the glass doors," says Heydt.
The master bedroom, master bath, kids' bath and guest bath were all part of the new addition upstairs. The vaulted ceiling, natural light and soft hues of the master bath make it look much larger than it actually is.
The space mixes elegant finishes and streamlined accessories with the occasional antique, like the dressing table bench and the urn, and with an eclectic Moravian star pendant light. The result is a balanced, serene and relaxing space, one every parent of four children deserves.
This home doesn't have much of a backyard, so the owners treat their front yard like a backyard. In addition to the front porch on the left, there is a patio off the kitchen on the right.