Eichler home in San Francisco gets bright and airy update

By One Kindesign May 26, 2016

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San Francisco Eichler Remodel-Klopf Architecture-01-1 Kindesign

We just received another fabulous project from Klopf Architecture of a renovated two-story Eichler home constructed in 1962, located on a hill in the Diamond Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, California. The clients had a vision for their new courtyard home, which they expressed with the architects in detail. They wanted bright and airy spaces with visual surprises, enhancing the Eichler vernacular while creating a seamless connection between indoors and out. The design needed to cater to their lifestyle needs of “modern living”. In order to update this home into a contemporary, more upscale home, several changes needed to be made. However, the clients loved their Eichler style pad and wished to respect the history of the house, which required preserving several elements.

The mahogany paneling, walls of glass that soaks in the surrounding views and the openness to the courtyard on the main level were all preserved. The architects removed the wood shingles that clad the exterior facade of the home, gutted the small master bathroom and closet tore down walls surrounding a galley kitchen. Zinc wall panels in the courtyard, which was part of the visual surprise that the homeowners requested, span the wall on the second level and continues through the expansive glass windows into the interior of the home. This was a tribute to the father of one of the homeowners, who built a firm that sells and installs commercial building materials.

From the beginning, the homeowners wished to number and variety of built-ins throughout the interiors. Contracting Benchmarc Woodworking for the task, custom designed and built credenzas were installed on the walls in the bathroom, living room and dining room. They also created a wall of mahogany and white cabinetry that begins in the kitchen and extends all the way through to the family room, creating harmony through the spaces. The cabinetry, along with newly landscaped, open courtyard, helps to create a more open and airy feel exceptionally open and spacious feel. The countertops were designed to be two inches higher and a waterfall island was added to help further enhance the flow.

Extra square footage was gained by eliminating items and spaces that were no longer needed, such as a chimney, mechanical closet and a fourth bedroom. This helped to create an overall feeling of spaciousness and improved functionality. Prior to the renovation, the home felt like several smaller spaces that were closed off from each other; the update has left the home feeling more luxurious and grand.

The architects used the original architects drawings to garner some ideas on restoring the facade to create a fresher, update aesthetic. Wood shingles on the balconies were removed and in their place, a smooth plaster gives a cleaner look. The rest of the exterior facade was replaced with new vertical Kayu Batu siding. Creating an indoor-outdoor connection, this material is brought into the interiors, applied in the dining room and the master closet.

What We Love: Perfectly suited to the style of this Eichler home, the homeowners now have a clean, minimal aesthetic that is clutter-free yet filled with carefully placed works of art and whimsical collectibles. Showcasing white walls as a backdrop to warm mahogany and rich grays throughout, the home is illuminated with natural light that feels both elegant and inviting.

Readers, please share with us your thoughts on this Eichler home remodel in the comments below!

Italian floor tiles in a shade of gray are reminiscent of a typical Eichler concrete floor and works perfectly with the new radiant heating. What was once a mechanical room off the kitchen was renovated into a spacious laundry room, which was originally taking up space in a hallway.

According to the architects, “custom zinc handrails were fabricated and installed by Product and Design Metal Work.”

Two smaller bedrooms were combined to create a spacious and light-filled master bedroom suite that encompassed an open closet/dressing area behind the bed. The design team also came to the conclusion, “that the fireplace and massive chimney flue took up valuable space and could be reconfigured into a TV nook on the main level and allow for a larger master bathroom above.”