More room to live.
A closer connection
to the view.

The rear elevation · Before and after

Opening the house toward the backyard

Extending two exterior walls created room to reorganize the living area and primary suite. A new shed roof rises toward the rear, allowing taller glass and a more expansive ceiling inside.

Low-threshold, eight-foot-tall multi-slide doors connect the living room and primary bedroom to the patio and pool area. The larger openings frame the backyard view and bring daylight into the new rooms. The roof design also became part of the solution to the property’s drainage problems.

A relocated kitchen

A cooking space built around a chef’s routine

Moving the kitchen into the addition allowed its layout to begin with cooking, storage, and movement through the room. Professional-grade Thermador appliances include a gas cooktop, ventilation hood, and double combination oven with steam convection. Separate refrigerator and freezer units provide substantial cold storage.

A large island offers preparation space and seating. The sink sits off center to leave a broader surface for working and serving. A microwave drawer, pull-out storage, and a four-foot working aisle contribute to a kitchen intended to be useful to both homeowners.

Point-of-use organizers keep cookware and ingredients near the places they are used. Deep drawers, peg storage, and pull-out pantry shelves extend that planning inside the custom frameless shaker cabinets.

New roles for existing rooms

The old kitchen becomes a place to gather

The original kitchen area now holds the wet bar, coffee station, and dining space across from the new kitchen. An antiqued mirrored backsplash reflects light above the counter, while glass-front upper cabinets provide display storage.

A small sink and accessible ice maker support drinks and serving. Roll-out trays in the lower cabinets keep dishes near the dining table. Under-cabinet lighting brings attention to the mirrored tile, and a chandelier with custom-length rods hangs level beneath the pitched ceiling.

Nearby, the new laundry room combines a folding counter and sink with additional storage and space for a second refrigerator. Semi-custom cabinets, a laminate counter, and vinyl plank flooring give this supporting room a practical finish.

Connected living spaces

A view through the home, with places to pause

Removing the wall between the original front room and kitchen opens a sightline toward the rear of the house. The rooms feel connected while retaining distinct places for dining, cooking, and relaxing.

In the expanded living room, a vertical shiplap wall frames the electric fireplace and television. Symmetrical sconces and shelving give the wall a balanced arrangement. The pitched ceiling and tall glass doors draw attention toward the backyard.

Wide-plank engineered wood flooring continues across the interior. Existing slab variations required leveling work so the new and retained areas could meet more consistently.

The primary suite

Comfort and access planned together

The new bedroom accommodates a king-size bed with clear circulation around the furniture. A recessed alcove makes room for larger pieces without pushing them into the passage. Hardwired reading lights, recessed lighting, and a ceiling fan provide different ways to light the room.

Another low-threshold multi-slide door opens the bedroom toward the backyard. Wide interior doorways and the adjoining bathroom and closets make the suite easier to navigate as a complete space.

The primary bathroom

A shower and vanities designed for different ways of using them

The zero-clearance shower includes a bench, storage niche, fixed shower head, and hand shower. Grab bars were placed for the intended transfer locations, with an additional hand-shower docking point near the bench. A linear drain allows the shower floor to pitch away from the entry.

The custom vanities serve seated and standing use at different heights. Mirror-mounted sconces light each sink area, and a decorative chandelier adds another layer of light. Quartz counters and porcelain wall and floor tile repeat the home’s restrained palette.

A vertical decorative tile band continues through the niche and bench, adding pattern within the shower. The water closet has a separate privacy door providing access from the pool area.

Supporting spaces

Storage and finishes carry the plan through the home

The primary closet combines double hanging, long hanging, and shelves. Pull-down upper rods and a wide entry improve access, while shallower shelving behind the door lets it open fully.

The guest bathroom also received new plumbing and a shower in place of the tub. Elongated subway tile, glass doors, and grab bars bring it into the home’s broader finish and accessibility plan. An old window opening discovered in the block wall became the location for a shower niche.

Elsewhere, new doors and hardware, updated lighting, and refreshed built-in hall storage connect the existing rooms with the addition.

The work beneath and above the rooms

Drainage and roof framing were part of the same plan

The homeowners had experienced water collecting along the rear of the house. The renovation addressed the patio slope and installed a French drain system to capture and redirect water. Drainage pipes run along the rear and side of the home, with perforated sections and pop-up emitters included in the route.

The new roof pitches toward the front, helping redirect roof water away from the rear yard. Changes to exterior ground levels and a berm near the back fence formed additional parts of the site work.

Inside, the roof and ceiling framing also had to accommodate HVAC runs. Girder-truss framing created a route for the main ductwork while preserving the intended ceiling lines. These concealed decisions supported the open rooms visible in the finished photographs.

The front elevation

A refreshed arrival with mid-century character

The exterior update gives the modest front elevation a new color scheme, a red entry door, and contemporary lighting. The former roof-mounted evaporative cooler is gone, replaced as part of the mechanical changes.

The front remains related to the scale and character of the existing home, while the larger transformation unfolds behind it. Updated landscaping and an elevated planting bed complete the approach.