As interior designers for this concierge emergency care medical group, we successfully translated their new brand direction of dynamic luxury into the design.

After crafting a detailed Mood Board, we meticulously designed custom millwork and carefully selected materials, furnishings, and artwork to align with and elevate the brand's vision. These curated choices now serve as a comprehensive playbook for the design of all future offices.

This extensive remodel and addition to a 1988 Planned Unit Development home was carefully reimagined into a contemporary custom residence. The project unfolded over five years, during which our homeowners transitioned from a young couple to parents of two boys, navigating the challenges of a global pandemic before returning to a sense of normalcy.

In the end, we expanded the home by nearly 400 square feet, creating a new front bedroom/office, an enlarged primary suite with a serene, Japanese-inspired bathroom, and a stunning open floor plan. The kitchen, designed to accommodate the homeowners' weekly large gatherings, boasts every imaginable amenity.

Come back to witness the full transformation...

The “welcome home” charm of a new front door & entry accent light.

New exterior paint scheme is looking sharp with just the right accents✨

Our new front addition terracotta roof & half round roof vents are in - and the window install & stucco prep work are happening…

The craftsmanship of an arch...

Roof sheathing for our front addition is up!

And check out our entry archway...

Exterior wall sheathing for our front addition is up!

Our front addition foundation work is underway!

Thrilled to see our rear extension nearing completion!

Our rear addition is approved for stucco.

The black asphalt saturated building paper is a moisture barrier to protect the building from water damage. And the wire will provide the stucco something to adhere to. Both must be field inspected & approved prior to stucco installation.

With the exterior extension framing in place, the addition is coming into view.

Despite the roof slope, skylight curbs are necessary here given the existing terracotta roof. See also how the contractor diligently saved the removed roof tiles for re-use at the new street-facing addition. This ensures that the new roof won't visually stick out - details matter...

Our wood accent framed entry vestibule portal.

Our final quartz install day is complete with our full height backsplash & spice ledge perfectly executed.

Day 1 of our counter installation is complete. By morning the exhaust hood will be up & our installers will be back to put up the backsplash. Great first day…!

No detail is too small as our counter installer uses electric seam clamps to ensure a perfect alignment between adjacent counter pieces.

Removing any mystery of the “undermount sink” - where the lip of the sink sits on plywood & the countertop will then sit atop the lip & hide it.

Our Kitchen counter installation is finally underway! With careful planning, we designed our island counter to be a single slab without any joints or seams which means not only easy maintenance, but a clean modern look!

Junior inspectors are onsite to review the in-progress millwork installation.

Millwork installation is looking good…

Kitchen cabinet installation is underway with the crucial first step of installing level “toe kicks” which the cabinets will sit on.

Always a good day when the kitchen cabinets arrive. Time to take attendance!

Great progress with our building envelope closed up with doors, windows & skylights installed. On the inside, drywall is up & painted & the floor also in & protected. Time to schedule our millwork delivery!

Our new 16" deep beam supports our existing trusses to create an open visual & social connection between our Kitchen & Dining/Living spaces.

Going up...

Ever wonder how they lift a 500 pound beam into place?

Existing trusses cannot be cut - without opening a can of costly structural worms. We first site documented each truss location before deciding which truss bay to slot in our new skylights.

The existing post tension slab is making for slow & tedious demolition as our contractor can only remove concrete between the existing tensioned steel strands…

Tough start to construction as we discovered during demolition that our slab is “post-tensioned” which means that there is a grid of tensioned steel strands embedded in the concrete. This type of slab is virtually unseen in residential construction - especially with single story homes such as ours. More importantly, these strands cannot be cut which means that our contractor will need to scan for the strands & demo around each of the strands.

| Kitchen Visual |

| Dining Visual |

Our glass shower enclosure is complete with low iron glass so that all our shower tile can be enjoyed with a pristine uncolored view - unlike standard glass which has a green tint.

While a counter may appear to be a thick piece of stone, it is actually “built-up” from 3/4” pieces. In order to have a monolithic appearance, our standard is to always miter our counter edges to allow patterns to read continuously.

Our walnut double vanity is looking amazing in its new home!

Checking in our custom vanity at our millworker’s shop. We are all set to go to the finisher & then to be installed!

Tile maketh the room… Stay tuned for the vanity & glass!

After our permit was approved and construction had started, our homeowners decided to pursue a second addition at the rear of the house. This additional square footage will allow us to create the homeowners’ dream Japanese-style wet bathroom where the double shower & soaking tub will be in a separate “wet” compartment than the dry vanity area.

One of the most valuable services we provide is our construction support. Here, we provided the contractor framing & power comments at the Primary Bath. These are relatively easy fixes at this stage of construction. It would be a very different & costly story after the drywall is in. We are here to protect both the design & homeowner!

| Primary Bath Visual |

Such a fun Guest Bath remodel with our new custom mirror!

Our cosmetic remodel plus of the existing Guest Bath is coming along…

| Guest Bath Visual |

| Existing Kitchen |

| Existing Guest Bath |

| Existing Primary Bath |

| Existing Front Exterior |

One yard line Kitchen photos with final inspections next…

Loving the fluted hood enclosure & the elegant sculptural sconce!

Just so our fluted wood has a buddy - a touch of fluted glass…

Today is one of our favorite construction days - Counter Install Day. Super excited to see our radius-ed waterfall counter!

Our kitchen cabinet install is 75% complete & today is counter “templating” day where our installer comes out to capture all things counters - including unique corner conditions & overhangs.

Kitchen cabinet dry lay underway.

Mocking up paint colors…

The drywall has brought the arches to life. And the new opening is bringing in much needed natural light into the Dining Room.

“Excellence is in the details"… 12” arch radius confirmed!

Site mock-up to confirm our arch radius. While our 3D model looked good with an 11" radius, on site we found that 12" was the better radius within the space.

Making cardboard arches for site mock-up.

Note the “dropped” beam - installed under the existing framing - to open up & connect the Kitchen & Dining. While it was a cost savings decision to not pursue a “flush” beam, we were able to not only integrate it into our design, but made it a defining feature with our arched walls.

| Existing Kitchen & Dining |

| Bathroom Visual |

All tiled up & ready for our shower glass!

Tiling progress shot…

Our large format (2-feet by 4-feet) tiles give not only a modern look, but will also mean less grout lines to clean!

His & Hers (or Hers & Hers) Shower Niches…

And there you have your tiled linear drain...

Completed linear drain waterproofing.

In progress linear drain waterproofing.

| Existing Bathroom |

Modernized existing stair!

| Existing Stair |

Surrounded on the left by an eight-story apartment complex with 200 rental units, and to the right and rear by three seven-story buildings totaling 136 rental units, our modest two-story historic house—built in 1907—stands out like the real-life version of the house from Disney’s Up.

Though small in comparison to its towering neighbors, we are in the process of transforming the existing two-unit residence into four units. This includes excavating the garage to create a new ADU, as well as legalizing a previously unpermitted garage unit. Additionally, the second and third floor units will be expanded with new additions, each featuring private decks.

Framing for the second & third floor rear additions is complete.

The east side is breathing new life with the new siding up & painted!

Framing for the second & third floor lightwell infill and rear additions is complete.

It’s showtime on the west side as we prep for new siding!

Fresh new face on the west side with the new siding nearing completion…

Framing for the second & third floor rear additions & private deck is complete.

Rear face is coming into view with new siding windows, & trim.

Both the second and third floors will have sun-kissed Living Rooms with a private deck to the side.

Even with the drywall still in progress, you can already get a feel for the new space—open, bright, and full of potential!

In conjunction with our garage excavation, our new foundation was upgraded to a 15” thick concrete mat slab to compensate for the poor soil in the area.

Small but mighty… One of the two Studio spaces are coming into view with the drywall installed…

| Existing Exterior |

Note the lack of the adjacent development when this photo was taken.

| Existing Garage |

The existing garage and curb cut will be removed to allow for the construction of the new street-facing Studio ADU.

| Existing Typical Apartment Kitchen |

| Existing Typical Apartment Bath |

| Existing Garage |

To be excavated & converted into a Studio ADU.

| Existing Unauthorized (Illegal) Unit |

To be legalized as a Studio.

Our project initially began as a simple addition to accommodate a new primary suite. However, through candid conversations with the homeowners, we gained a deeper understanding of their needs, which ultimately led to the creation of an open, social, and entertainment-focused floor plan. This included expanding the previously renovated, but undersized kitchen with the addition of a new island and a walk-in pantry.

Looking ahead, we also incorporated a compact attached 435 square foot Studio ADU, ensuring the home is both functional and adaptable for the future.

With thoughtful planning, this single-family home is now prepared for whatever the future may bring.

| Breaking Ground |

To ensure that there are no future property line disputes our surveyor “staked out” exactly where our addition needs to be located.

The ground is being excavated to match the required foundation dimensions. A rebar cage is then dropped in & concrete will be poured. Underground plumbing also needs to be planned prior to the concrete pour. Note how the rebar also ties into the existing foundation to unify existing & new.

The concrete foundation has cured & we are ready to start our wood framing which is a big project milestone.

The next domino falls as floor framing & insulation are in!

With the plywood subfloor down, there is no where to go but 🆙

One wall to go before all our exterior walls are 🆙

Strategically placing our new upgraded electrical meter where it is within the proximity of the previous meter. In doing so, we can avoid the need to bring in PG&E who are notorious for being challenging to deal with - if you can even get in touch with them at all…

All exterior walls are up with the recessed face being our attached ADU entry wall.

First protective house wrap layer is up.

The gutter machine has arrived to fabricate our site formed continuous gutters. Our south gutter will be a seamless 60-foot run. Continuous gutters have the advantage of reducing leakage, allows for better water flow, is aesthetically superior, and lowers long-term maintenance costs.

Metal lath & black weather-resistive barrier layer behind are up. We are all ready for stucco & our exterior shade structure beyond has also been framed.

Mocking up our new exterior paint colors. Our concept was for a timeless & elegant home with a hint of modern coastal vibe.

Checking in on the painting progress at the Rear Yard & ADU Entry.

| Existing Rear Yard | …while ADUs can be 4-feet off the property line by code, there is a 5-foot public utility easement at our rear property line. Therefore, our new attached ADU will sit exactly 5-feet off the rear property line to maximize our built area.

Checking in on the painting progress at the front of the house.

A key to modernizing the house was replacing the metal roof with new asphalt shingles.

| Existing Front Exterior |

| Kitchen/Living/Dining/Coffee Bar Visual |

| Kitchen/Island/Coffee Bar Visual |

The new open Great Room (Kitchen/Living/Dining/Coffee Bar) is well underway with structural work complete. The island “pony wall” framing & plumbing are also in place.

In order to accommodate the open plan, there are three new beams which will be concealed above the ceiling:

Beam #1: 7” wide by 14” deep by 24-foot long main beam;

Beam #2: To the left of Beam #1 will be a 4” wide by 10” deep beam to the exterior wall; and

Beam #3: To the right of Beam #1 will be a 3-1/2” wide by 9-1/4” deep beam which will sit on a new post

All plumbing in your home must have vents to remove sewer gasses and regulate air pressure in pipes. These vents usually extend within walls & up and out of the roof.

Since there are no full height walls at the island, island sinks will typically use loop venting where the vent will run under the floor & then connect to the typical in-wall vent.

Our Great Room is finally coming to life — the drywall is up, and it's all starting to feel real!

Checking in on our curved custom Coffee Bar bench which will be topped with a tailored cushion.

Just part of our big cabinet delivery haul - time to inspect for any defects (and file for claims, if necessary)

The cabinets are being dry laid & the best is yet to come!

| Existing Dining | … (with the existing Kitchen to the right) will be all opened up to create a large social area with the expanded adjacent spaces

| Primary Bath Visual - Entry View |

| Primary Bath - Shower & Soaking Tub View |

One of our signature design moves is to align the window & skylight with the entry.

Dry laying our freestanding tub & tub filler.

All insulation are not created equal. At the exterior walls & attic we are using pink fiberglass & between interior walls, we are using Rockwool (mineral wool) which has superior sound absorption.

The floors for existing houses are rarely level & ours is no different. At our Primary Bathroom, a self leveling floor compound has been poured to make sure all things are level - prior to tiling.

At the shower, you see a red coating which is a waterproofing membrane.

Our Primary Bathroom is starting to take shape — floor tile is in & the shower walls are getting their vertical stack on…

👋🏻 Hello beautiful forest green double vanity!

Exciting to see the exteriors walls of our attached 435 square foot Studio ADU 🆙

The interior of our attached Studio ADU is progressing well with the roof & bathroom framed.

The overhead orange pipe is for our required sprinkler system.

Our Studio ADU is coming into focus - now that the drywall is up.

ADU interior update - with touches of teal sprinkled throughout for good cheer…

👋🏻 Hello lovely ADU Kitchen cabinets!

Site mockup of our stacked basketweave pattern for our ADU Bathroom.

Seeing our ADU Bathroom come to life with our stacked basketweave tile pattern play .

Texture & color to delight the senses.

👋🏻 Hello gorgeous grain match walnut vanity!

San Francisco gut remodel with a vertical and horizontal addition to dramatically transform an undersized 950 square foot 1-bedroom 1-bathroom home to a luxurious 3,195 square foot 5-bedroom 4-bathroom home.

See Our 720° Walkthroughs!

Primary Bathroom

Primary Bedroom

Kitchen

Dining Room

After serving as a laundromat for decades, we took this space on a Change of Use journey to become a new neighborhood brunch destination. The new interior space celebrates and maintains the building’s original infrastructure - while bringing in the bright goodness of morning, sunshine and and a healthy meal.

Nestled within an idyllic San Mateo residential neighborhood, this 765 square foot vertical addition provides the much needed space for this growing family of four. The new sunkissed top floor will be both a Family Room to gather/work and be the Primary (Master) Suite for the parents to take refuge.

| Existing Single Story Residence |

South View

West View

North View

East View

| Existing |

This exterior refresh was for a 1980s three story commercial building with rotting existing wood siding & antiquated mechanical systems. We worked intimately with San Mateo planners to secure approval for over 9,000 square feet of new painted Hardie cementitious siding - in-lieu of the existing wood siding. Most importantly, we deftly navigated the review process to avoid a lengthy architectural review. The building now has new life on this prominent San Mateo thoroughfare.

| BEFORE |

What began as an ambitious plan to remodel and expand the main home quickly shifted focus to stabilizing the existing structure, which is located in a designated high liquefaction zone. In such zones, the soil can lose its strength and behave like a liquid during an earthquake, posing serious risks to structural integrity.

To address this, we are installing 27 helical piers, each extending approximately 13.5 feet deep, to support and stabilize the existing home. The house had experienced significant settlement over time, with the rear portion sitting more than four inches lower than the front. In addition, the house consistently had issues with doors and windows sticking, making them difficult to open and close.

Due to the need to reallocate a substantial portion of the budget to this critical structural work, the scope of the project evolved. Instead, we pivoted to adding a 715-square-foot attached ADU, featuring 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths, to serve as living space for the homeowner’s extended family. The new ADU will also require the support of 9 helical piers.

Breaking ground for our new 715 square foot attached ADU.

A trench has been dug around the existing house. Helical piers will be inserted periodically into the trench & then capped with a concrete grade beam which will then tie into the existing house foundation. This new structural system will stabilize the existing house & minimize any new future settlement.

Helical piers have been delivered to site. While manufacturers offer various lengths, our contractor elected to bring in 7-foot helicals. Multiple piers will be tied together to achieve the required depth.

The helical piers are similar to a big screw & will be mechanically turned and sunk into the ground.

Tremendous progress has been made on our attached ADU as all the exterior walls have been framed & windows have been installed.

We are currently awaiting the arrival of our roof trusses, which will enable us to accelerate the roof framing timeline by approximately 25–50% compared to conventional stick framing methods.

We appreciate the contractor’s diligence in putting down a sill sealer, also known as a sill gasket, which is a foam strip placed under the exterior wall sill plate to reduce air leakage and moisture infiltration, thereby improving energy efficiency and preventing potential issues like rot. 

Trusses are on site!

The roof framing is flying by with half the roof already framed after only one day!

Trusses & rooftop plywood are up in record time!

Good interior view at the trusses over our Kitchen. With careful planning, we are still able to accommodate a Kitchen skylight between the trusses.

ADU interior update - towards Kitchen…

ADU interior update - towards Entry…

One of our favorite construction milestones - Counter Day!

New Fast Casual Latin Fusion Restaurant Rises From Former Dry Cleaners

| Progress | Cedar-clad Entry & Toter Enclosure

| Progress | Exterior

| Progress | Stucco

| Progress | Sheathing

| Progress | Framing

| Before |

Proposed Front View | 01

Proposed Front View | 02

Proposed Front View | 03

Existing Front

Proposed Rear View | 01

Proposed Rear View | 02

Existing Rear