As can be seen from the before photo, this space (and the rest of the house) was in need of better lighting as well as more appropriate finishes. The top newal on the stairway jutting into the ceiling was poor design and the style overall did not fit the otherwise modern space. A glass & brushed steel railing was installed, along with a more interesting color palette and an entire new lighting plan to properly illuminate the space and colors.

The dining room before was hardly inspirational to entertaining. With the use of warm colors, good lighting and drapery to soften the space it now is inviting to all.

The wall adjoining the dining room was removed to open up the space and allow for the fantastic view of oak trees growing out of the back deck area.

The inefficient free range was replaced by a cooktop and relocated to this area to provide better function. The previous location was installed with a double wall oven and pantry closet. A new larger window was installed to allow more natural light into the space and the shallow double sink was replaced with a single 12' deep sink for washing larger pots & pans.

This space was very closed in and the fluorescent 'skylight' very unattractive as well as ineffective. We completely gutted and replaced everything. All new cabinetry, lighting, appliances and plumbing fixtures were installed. A new hardwood floor was installed throughout the lower level to the adjoining spaces.

This was a challenging space due to the lack of enough lighting and the extreme volume of the space. The concrete floors were stained a warm coffee brown and the walls painted in a sequentially dark to light cafe au lait color scheme. The extreme height of the ceiling was brought down a bit with the use of the wall mounted telescoping track lighting. This style of light fixture is excellent for lighting the art work as well as washing the walls to bring out the warmth of the color and give the entire space an inviting glow.

This kitchen had no effective work space or storage. Though this wall faced west there was very little natural light coming into the space. By removing the existing window along with the upper cabinets we were able to allow a spectacular view to the ocean as well as provide more linear work space by extending the lower cabinets & counter. Having more window & view creates a feeling of the kitchen being larger than it is.

Though we did not relocate the appliances (the structural layout would not permit this) we were able to create greater efficiency and aesthetic beauty by replacing all the appliances and cabinetry. Each unit around the range optimizes storage and organized access to necessary cooking utensils.

Replacing the existing window for a larger 'picture' window shows how a space can be transformed by allowing the outside to become part of the interior view.

This home turned out to be much larger than the original layout allowed. With careful space planning throughout we were able to enlarge certain areas to create a much more comfortable updated home. The bathroom was only accessible from the hallway and there was no master bedroom. We moved the separate shower/bath to the other side of the room and centered the shower on the newly enlarged skylight. This became the master bathroom attached to a new master bedroom suite. The new suite was created by removing a wall between the two upper bedrooms and accessing the new bathroom through the previous closet area.

The new masterbath/master suite has a two sinks where before it had only one. This area is in a vestibule style with a door for privacy to the rest of the bathroom. There is a new closet for storage and laundry.

San Francisco has many houses with what is called a 'tunnel entrance' One walks through a gate into a 'covered patio' (covered by the upper level of the house) to a stairwell that leads to the front door. We closed off the gate with a real front door making the street level the true entry/foyer. This before photo shows the previous existing kitchen window set back from the interior stairwell ceiling along with the original skylight merely covered with corrugated fiberglass which allowed all inclemente weather to penetrate. We removed the existing doorway wall and stairwell covering. The skylight was expanded and a custom one built to fit. The kitchen window was removed and re-shaped/sized to allow the natural light to come into the kitchen.

Here you can see how removing the existing door wall and replacing the skylight and kitchen window creates a fantastic sculptural effect of natural light. It is a much more inviting entrance as one ascends the stairwell into the main interior of the home.

The newly shaped and sized window looking onto the entry stairwell brings in much needed natural light to the space.

By not only replacing appliances but re-locating the areas of function in the space opened up the kitchen to the rest of the home making it feel larger and more comfortable for entertaining.

This kitchen was very outdated. There was no effective ventilation for the stove, save a 'hole' in the ceiling flanked by a covering. Also there was no work space or storage around the cooking area. The entire kitchen was gutted and the vestibule wall removed to create more organized storage and working area. A new pantry was installed at the end of the galley along with all new appliances.

The kitchen dates back the to 1930's with no modern amenities. Everything was replaced with up to date appliances and plumbing. The window was removed and expanded to allow for more natural light as well as a new skylight.

This space was a 90's contractor retro-fit special. It lacked any real home character. We toned down the earth-quake bracing by using a monotone lighter color palette in a warm hue. The sharp eastern light from the windows was tamed with solar reflective blinds to soften the space. All the catalogue furniture was replaced with better quality items in complementary color balance with inviting textures.