Renewed Design of a Mid-Century Home in Berkeley Hills

In life, there would be times that we can’t have it all. As well as for our houses sometimes we can never really apply what we really wanted for some reasons. Just like if you’re having a home that is set in a wonderful location (meaning there a lot of breathtaking views afar) and yet the houses itself got a design which is already outdated or vice versa, it would really ruin the overall beauty of the house. But as the life quote says “If there’s a will, there’s a way”, if there is really eagerness inside you to match all things between the indoor and outdoor look of your house by these you will surely achieve a comfortable living space. This is what happened to this home in Berkeley Hills.

The house is hovering on an area of 2,700 square feet on a hillside of Berkeley, California. The main catch of this house is that it takes advantage on the full view of San Francisco Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. Conversely, the interior of the house was defined by a mid-century style but was very outdated and there is an unmatched connection between the outdoor and indoor spaces. Through this it made the owner of the house decide to seek help from Yamamar Design and be in-charge in changing the beauty of his home where the outlook and interior will get a complimented look.

BEFORE: This serves as the entry of the house which was designed with a spiral staircase and a pond at the side. According to the designer, “The entry sequence was cold and uninviting”.

AFTER: And now, this is the refreshing look of the entry. The pond was changed then into green leafy tropical landscape. And some timber fences were added into the concrete walls to soften the impact of the concrete structures.

BEFORE: The courtyard got a very clumsy design, wherein, according to the designer the rainwater used to leaked into the rooms underneath.

AFTER: And now here is the look of the courtyard. It looks very inviting when they got to put up some concrete pavers. And also it was furnished with wooden chairs and a fire pit table which turned the area to be more relaxing.

To protect the rooms below, the roof was covered with gravels and applied with rigid foam insulation. Each entry doors was built with a slatted wood that serves to be the doormat, for the purpose of eliminating unnecessary fragments to go inside the house.

BEFORE: It can be seen through this photo that before the living room was too dark and dull by using redwoods as materials. And more so the views from afar were not easily accessed because the design of the walls, door and windows are closed.

AFTER: Look at what the living room got, the redwoods were brightened by the white paints. To create a spiky distinction between the walls and floor, the floor got a darker shade creating a sophisticated look to the living room.

The walls, windows and doors were ripped out, converting it to retractable doors, thereby giving a full access on the balcony to witness breathtaking views of San Francisco.

Conforming to the designers, a retractable door offers a good interaction between outdoor and indoor living spaces.

BEFORE: The views from afar are also invisible in the dining room because of the utilization of narrow doorways and jalousie windows.

AFTER: But now, look how refreshing the area was. It is all because of the retractable doors that the dining room is already connected to the deck thus enjoying the views beyond.

The dining area is situated at the end of the room decorated with fluffy light fixture and a rug that softens the texture of the room.

The designers also replaced the windows of the house with powder-coated aluminum that help brighten the spaces.

But not all materials were changed, the redwoods in this wall was maintained for the purpose of giving a warm contrast with the staircase.

Before renovation, the staircase got a poor flow of light because of the wooden wall that restricts the rays of light. So the designer decided to take full advantage of the area by replacing the wooden walls with glass thereby allowing more light to go into this staircase.

It was said that this house did not have a master bath on its own master bedroom and so the designers installed a very beautiful master bath that matches evenly with the general concept of the home.

Because of this renovation the house got a unified look with the vista. They can now fully enjoy the views beyond San Francisco.

Amazingly done by Yamamar Design, the reformation of the house includes a seismic upgrade and improved daytime and panoramic outlook. I’m sure that by now this family will get to enjoy the spaces of their house in a more functional and effective way. But above all, the house gets to achieve a look that compliments between the interior and vistas.