Addison

Project year: 2012| Location: San Francisco, California

A full face-lift with a nod toward the open space next door and corner windows that direct views to downtown San Francsico.

About The Project

Occupying the end of a row of six identical houses built in 1960, this home presented an opportunity to give the group a more defined architectural endpoint. The original street-facing elevation was flat, with a deck extending across its full width. Alongside a comprehensive interior renovation, a new corner bay introduces depth to the façade and terminates the end of the row.

The bay also strengthens the home’s connection to its expansive outlook. Abutted corner glazing opens views from the living room and primary bedroom toward San Francisco Bay and the Oakland Hills beyond. By eliminating a solid corner from these sightlines, the glazing allows the view to extend across both faces of the bay, giving the interior a greater sense of openness.

A slate ledgestone base anchors the house to its site and provides a textured foundation for the boldly colored stucco and wood siding above. Black window frames and trim, together with a powder-coated steel railing, sharpen the composition and emphasize its geometry. The renovation gives the house an individual identity while using its position at the end of the row to bring definition to the larger streetscape.

“Phil worked with us on a major remodel 2011 - 2012 that took our house from an ugly box to the best looking house on the block, winning a Gold award for Best Exterior Face Lift from Qualified Remodeler magazine in the process. We also added square footage that made our living room, master bedroom and two bathrooms larger and more useable. His experience in working with the city made the process of getting the necessary permits very smooth, without the delays we had come to fear. He always kept the budget in mind, never proposing grandiose plans that we could not afford. His contacts in the contracting community were instrumental in helping us to find a contractor we were comfortable working with. Phil was always open to our ideas and incorporating them into his design. He was willing to help us pick out finishes where necessary, but also willing to work with finishes we picked out. He is very flexible and has a good eye for design. That makes him great at making the adjustments to plans that are necessitated by changing circumstances. When aspects of our window design required adjustments due to city regulations, Phil helped to ensure that not only did the windows meet the requirement, they looked great as well. When the old stain on our floors couldn't be completely removed to allow a lighter stain, he suggested black which we would never have considered. The floors ended up looking amazing. When a bathroom wall was opened up, we discovered a pipe that hadn't been anticipated. This caused the bathroom to be a foot or so smaller than anticipated. Phil suggested using part of the lost space for a cabinet that is almost floor to ceiling. That cabinet is beautiful and the room is more interesting than it would have been without it. He is attuned to how all aspects of the design will work together and the importance of getting the finishes just right. He never hesitated to say when he thought something wasn't up to his high standards. He works well with contractors, effectively bridging the gap between our "vision" and the technical aspects needed to accomplish that vision.”
Becky T.Project Owner