This project was for two very special and important clients, my younger sister and brother in-law. Many years ago as a ‘grand gesture’ for a wedding present, I made up a folio containing a personally designed certificate, entitling the bearers to full architectural design services for either a full house remodel, or a new custom home. My little sister and new brother in-law were both very touched, as befits the grandiosity of my present. 15 years later they finally cashed that in with me, and I kept my promise to do the job in 2023. In this case the project was a full house remodel, as they had already purchased a marvelous 1913 vintage “Craftsman” style house, located just east of the University Village shopping center. Both my sister and new brother in-law are excellent cooks, so the primary remodel focus was a custom new kitchen. The original kitchen was demolished back to the studs, and everything you see is brand spanking new. Same thing for the original main floor bathroom. It was oddly arranged for being so narrow, so that too was demolished back to the studs and a full reorganization was done. My sister and brother in-law selected all their own fixtures and finishes for the project, and I have ‘no notes’ for them. They did a marvelous job of it!
While we were already at it on the main floor, a full earthquake retrofit was done in the existing basement, to properly secure the structure to its foundation, and then that basement was fully finished. The remodeled basement now has a dedicated laundry room, family/media room, a guest bedroom with a proper sized egress window, and a new bathroom. The remainder of the basement is a well organized storage room and home gym. The project was completed in late November of 2024, just in time for the first family Christmas dinner to be prepared in the new kitchen. It was delicious!
Photography and construction services courtesy of Built Square LLC