A personal retreat,
inside and out.

The kitchen · Before and after

Better function within a familiar footprint

The kitchen needed more light, better storage, and room for appliances to open without colliding. Moving the range approximately two feet away from the dishwasher resolved a practical conflict in the original arrangement.

Removing the lower soffit made room for taller wall cabinets. Recessed LED fixtures, under-cabinet lighting, and pendants over the bar seating provide light where the homeowners work and gather.

Soft warm gray cabinets sit against walls in a closely related color. The apron-front sink continues that palette, with its faucet centered beneath the window. Granite counters and a patterned backsplash bring the finishes together.

Dining and entertaining

A glass counter that becomes a focal point

A new dry bar occupies the corner beside the kitchen. Its cabinetry complements the kitchen while giving the dining area a distinct finish. Glass-front upper cabinets provide illuminated display storage, with a wine refrigerator below.

The custom backlit glass countertop introduces an unexpected glow. Removing the soffit above the bar raised the ceiling in that area. Relocating the HVAC return and removing the old intercom simplified the adjoining wall, and refinishing the front door completed the entry’s update.

The living room

Keeping the ceiling, changing the atmosphere

The exposed beams and vaulted ceiling were features worth preserving. The fireplace’s underlying structure also remained, with stacked stone and a custom reclaimed wood mantel updating its face.

Lighting placed at the beams helps illuminate the tall room. Multiple-width engineered wood flooring continues through the living areas, giving the spaces a shared foundation.

One unnecessary sliding glass door became a lower window so a sofa could sit beneath it. The remaining patio connection received a new sliding door with a shade between the glass. The room kept its character while gaining a more workable furniture arrangement.

The primary suite

Comfort now, with future use in mind

The primary bedroom’s high ceiling contributed to temperature swings. A mini-split heating and cooling unit gives the room additional control, while a new Pella sliding glass door includes shades between its panes.

In the bathroom, removing a doorway created a clearer route to an additional clothes closet. New walls define a private water closet and a curbless shower. Pocket doors at the toilet room and closet keep swinging doors out of the walkway.

The layout uses the existing plumbing positions where practical. The toilet remained in the same general location and turned 90 degrees, while the shower stayed in its original area. New cabinetry offers deeper drawers, and removing the vanity soffit allows a more open ceiling above.

Guest rooms and a home office

Two useful rooms within one larger space

A large room that had served as a previous owner’s business office became a separate home office and guest bedroom. The division preserved the existing room entries, while the new guest closet accommodated the attic access location.

The guest bathroom needed a lighter intervention. The existing tub remained, with new tile, cabinetry, and filtered vanity lighting refreshing the space. Tile continues around the bathing area, and the cabinet door style helps maintain clearance at the adjacent wall and trim.

The backyard · Before and after

Silver travertine connects the outdoor spaces

The worn terra-cotta patio gave way to silver travertine, with new wall caps and finishes selected alongside the exterior paint. Updated planting and landscape lighting frame the sitting areas, and grass-bordered walkway pavers bring another texture to the yard.

A granite counter outside the kitchen window continues the serving surface outdoors. A television mounted at the patio column adds another way to use the covered seating area.

Outdoor cooking and gathering

A barbecue and fireplace beside the view

The built-in barbecue includes an extended peninsula for preparation and serving. Silver travertine wall caps and a matching bar top connect it to the surrounding patio. Trimming back overgrown planting opened the view and made room for a small bistro setting.

Near the spa, a new outdoor fireplace adds warmth and privacy. Its stacked stone relates to the interior fireplace, while an arched opening and stone mantel give it a distinct outdoor character. The existing raised patio steps remained and received new travertine.

The front elevation

An exterior update that carries around the home

A new tile roof, garage door, and exterior paint address the original exterior’s maintenance needs. The garage door’s windows bring daylight inside, with decorative hardware and new coach lights adding definition at the front.

Silver travertine continues into the courtyard and around its palm tree, forming a place for morning coffee. Contrasting paint at the upper band, columns, and fascia makes the home’s existing architectural details easier to see.

Behind the finishes

Planning, discoveries, and construction

The owners lived out of state during planning, so the designer coordinated drawings and selections remotely. A concentrated three-day shopping visit helped resolve product choices before construction.

Work on site required careful use of limited garage storage and coordination with neighborhood rules. Salvageable materials were set aside for donation. When large door openings were reduced for new windows, temporary protection helped keep the house enclosed as the work progressed.

Demolition revealed termite activity at a crack in the living room floor. The homeowners’ pest-control company treated the affected conditions before the new wood flooring went in. Additional concrete, plumbing, and electrical work also emerged during construction. Those discoveries required changes to the scope and schedule, with communication keeping the owners informed.