Tour this Eichler remodel in Palo Alto that keeps its midcentury charm

Gray Eichler exterior with orange door and mature street trees

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Ogawa Fisher Architects is responsible for the remodel of a classic Eichler home in Palo Alto, California, for a lively family of five, including three daughters and two dogs, who had long dreamed of updating their home to better suit their active lifestyle.

The new design focused on balancing and retaining respect for the home’s Eichler roots with new spatial solutions for family life. The architects reconfigured the kitchen, dining, and living spaces to create a more open layout, enhancing natural light and allowing seamless transitions to the outdoors through expansive glass doors.

DESIGN DETAILS

ARCHITECT Ogawa Fisher Architects
GENERAL CONTRACTOR CB Builders
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER William Harrison Consulting Engineer

Motorcycle parked under carport beside orange front door

With its central island and bright slice of skylights, the oak and white kitchen is designed to be the central hub of activity and conversation, bridging the space between living/ dining and the bedrooms.

Orange Front Door Sets a Playful Tone

Orange front door with skylight and built in bench seating

The dining bench, which hugs the kitchen peninsula, brings the action between the kitchen and dining table closer together while also saving space to create a more generous living room.

Orange door framed by blue tile wall and dining table

A modest addition accommodated an extra bedroom, giving each daughter her own room, and a walk-in closet and dedicated bathroom for the parents’ existing bedroom. At the same time, thoughtful touches like a storage-lined hallway and a custom entry vestibule addressed the family’s everyday organizational needs.

Orange pendant lights beneath open shelf with books and plant

To preserve the home’s midcentury character, we revealed and restored the original tongue-and-groove ceiling and wood beams, bringing warmth and continuity throughout the living areas.

Oak dining bench with orange chairs beneath skylight windows

A restrained palette of oak cabinetry, gray large-format tiles, and bronze windows sets a calm, neutral tone, with pops of color around each corner that add personality and surprise.

Central Island Brings the Family Together

Oak kitchen island with red bar stools and green artwork

This remodel has transformed this 2,000-square-foot home into a vibrant, functional space that celebrates the Eichler legacy while transforming it into a bright and beautiful family home.

Family gathered around kitchen island with blue tile backsplash

Living Room Balances Comfort and Storage

Gray sectional sofa with orange throw pillow and artwork

What We Love About This Home

Expansive glass doors blur the line between the great room and backyard, making the whole home feel bigger and more connected to the outdoors. We love how the restored tongue-and-groove ceiling carries the Eichler’s original warmth straight through the new open kitchen and living areas. Pops of orange and blue appear in unexpected spots, from the front door to the dining chairs, adding personality without disrupting the calm oak-and-gray palette.

Tell Us: What detail from this Eichler remodel would you bring into your own home? Let us know in the Comments below. We enjoy reading your feedback!

Note: Check out a couple of other incredible home tours that we have featured here on One Kindesign in the state of California: An Eichler home in Palo Alto gets renovated with a fabulous courtyard and Mid-century modern meets California cool in this Palo Alto home.

Built in oak media console with dark accent wall