Home Works

Author:

Collected Interiors and Klopf Architecture reimagine a mid-century modern home for a twenty-first century family of five

Clad Home sofas and a chair by Made Goods cluster around a coffee table found at Four Hands. The rug is from Loloi. The overhead light fixture is by Brendan Ravenhill. Photos by Nicole Dianne.

While the clients had enjoyed their mid-century modern property’s expansive outdoor space during lockdown, they realized that the home itself would need an update: they wanted to introduce more light into the interior; the kitchen needed an update; they wanted to strengthen the connection between indoors and out; and, they needed more space for their family of five. 

The den’s sofa, sourced from Crate & Barrel, sits on a Loloi rug. The coffee table is by Palecek. Photos by Nicole Dianne.
In the living room, a chair from Made Goods sits on a Loloi rug. The coffee table was sourced from Four Hands. Photos by Nicole Dianne.

“One of the biggest challenges of working with historic homes is striking a balance between preservation and modernization,” says Ashley Macuga, the Principal Designer of San Carlos’ Collected Interiors, who handled the work on the home’s interiors. “That’s particularly difficult with a mid-century home which, with its clean lines, open floor plan, Post-and-Beam construction and integration with the exterior, is inherently minimalist by nature. Changing too much can easily erase a home’s historical integrity.”

The light is from Blue Print hangs above hand-crafted cabinets created by a local finish carpenter. Photos by Nicole Dianne.
The light is from Blue Print hangs above hand-crafted cabinets created by a local finish carpenter.
Photos by Nicole Dianne.

San Francisco-based Klopf Architecture had shouldered the delicate task of expanding the home’s square footage while maintaining its visual expression and iconic characteristics. Their attention to detail ensured there was a seamless, imperceptible transition between the original house and its new addition.

Photos by Nicole Dianne.

Collected Interiors reinforced their work, creating the warm, cozy light-filled oasis the clients envisioned. “They wanted it to be that house in the neighborhood where all the kids end up,” says Macuga. “That meant that the sofas needed to be both stylish and durable, able to withstand damp swimming trunks and still look good.”


The laundry room’s cabinetry was hand-crafted by a local finish carpenter. Photos by Nicole Dianne.

Tongue-and-groove ceilings were extended out to the exterior eaves. “The uninterrupted flow supports the modern idea of blurring the line between inside and out.” The original polished concrete floors were swapped out for terrazzo flooring. “Not only did they create continuity between the two parts of the house but they added a subtle wash of color and pattern that sets the tone for the home’s color palette,” Macuga points out. The vintage light fixtures were rewired and repaired; its mahogany walls were oiled and refinished.

Lights found on Etsy illuminate Brizio fixtures and a mirror by Palacek. The tile and stone are from Soho Studio. Photos by Nicole Dianne.

“We extended them to the new addition, cladding a wall in the new family room, ensuring that the new space felt as grounded, warm and earthy as the old portion did.” New hand-crafted cabinets channel the home’s design details: the linear lines of the ceiling are echoed in vertical lines of the boy’s bathroom vanity; the elliptical shape of the primary bathroom’s vanity was inspired by one of the home’s original light fixtures. “It’s a shape that’s everywhere in mid-century design so it cues you into the time period without being too kitchy,” Macuga notes. 

Photos by Nicole Dianne.
Photos by Nicole Dianne.

The clients adore their updated home. “They have more space and the modern amenities they wanted, while retaining the mid-century charm they’d originally fallen in love with,” says Macuga. No wonder it’s the home in the neighborhood where everyone ends up.