Berkeley Hills Mediterranean

• About this project

  This Berkeley Hills renovation arose from a large set of problems.  When our clients purchased this two-story, 1920s Mediterranean-inspired home, they worried they had made a mistake.  There was an opportunity for spectacular bay views, but most of the spaces in the house weren’t taking advantage of the site.

  Beyond that, the shared rooms were isolated from one another.  The kitchen was narrow, without much light.  The living room was the nicest space in the house, but was disconnected from the kitchen and dining room.  The house worked poorly for entertaining.  Upstairs, there were three bedrooms, and only one shared bath.

  There was not enough space for this family of musicians.  Between instruments, recording gear, and life’s activities, people and things were on top of one another.

  The building had also settled substantially, and some portions of the foundations were sliding down the hill.

  Time for a Berkeley Hills Renovation

  When we started the project we knew a good portion of the budget would be used to upgrade the existing foundations and level the house.  A logical solution, therefore, was to develop the existing partial basement. Because we needed to replace the foundation anyway, it made good sense to excavate a little further and add this valuable space.

  The basement was transformed into a family room/jam space, home office/recording booth, and new full-bath.

  We opened up the kitchen to beautiful views of the bay.  It became the literal and figurative center of our clients’ home life.  In consideration of neighbors, we eliminated view windows along the property side wall. To balance this, we managed to add windows behind upper cabinets to bring in natural light.  A new island, with a circular eating bar, literally marks the new center of the home.

  We also added a small breakfast room addition overlooking the bay beyond. The addition was modest in size and height to avoid impacting neighbors, but we added tall windows to make it appear larger.

  Upstairs, we managed to add a new master bath by consolidating some poorly placed closets, and working with the leftover space.

  Through careful planning, and utilizing every inch of space, we were able to transform this home into a light-filled, functional place.  It’s perfect for get-togethers, performances and everyday living.