Site: Bernal Heights East Slope
This house was literally falling apart. The owner wanted everything repaired and replaced in such a way that the more charming features of the house were blended with contemporary design.

Design Objectives: Rejuvenate!
How can we upgrade this house to meet the needs of today's inhabitants (it was originally built with no indoor plumbing!)? What can we do with an upper floor that was probably added surreptitiously decades ago? How can we open up a dark and low-ceilinged house to please an owner with a taste for contemporary design?

In this neighborhood, there is a neighborhood review board, which forced us to also address this question: how can we get the local design review board to approve of rejuvenating this house?

Solution: Reduce and Simplify
The first thing that had to go was the "plumbing porch" - it was literally falling off the house anyway. We put an open wood deck in its place. Then, we reduced the old-style trims (not fancy, just big!) with more streamlined doors and windows. Finally, we opened up the house in plan so it feels bigger and is easier to use. Opening up the walls and raising the upstairs ceiling converted this house from Granny's old attic into a clean, usable, contemporary home.

Contractor
H&X Construction (contact Hector Salazar) 510.384.9236

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