Contemporary Saratoga home

REVAMP AND REDEFINE

We had to meet 3 primary goals for remodeling this 1550SFT ranch style home in Saratoga.

1. Increase square footage to accommodate growing needs of the family.

2. Make it a more energy efficient and sustainable home by innovative use of design and materials.

3. Change the language of its architecture from traditional to contemporary, without changing the existing envelope of the home.

STRATEGIES TO MEET THE GOALS SET.

1. Maximizing construction efficiency and optimizing project cost by locating the entire addition to the rear of the house.

2. Using finishes and products that are resilient and require less maintenance over time.

3. Staying true to the existing design of the home but giving the owners ability to customize based on their needs.

ENTRANCE FOYER

**LARGE WALK IN CLOSET STYLE SHOE CLOSET TO MINIMIZE DIRT TRACKING THROUGH THE HOME.**

**BUILT IN BENCH SEATING AT FRONT BAY WINDOW**

**LIVING ROOM OPENING UP TO DINING AREA**

**LOW HEIGHT SOFA STYLE TO MAINTAIN OPEN-NESS OF THE SPACE.**

**KITCHEN WITH WHITE CABINETS ON TOP AND DARK CABINETS AT THE BOTTOM TO MAINTAIN LIGHT AND SPACIOUS FEELING.**

**APPLIANCES STACKED TO ONE WALL TO MAINTAIN CLEAN LINES.**

**‘NO HARDWARE’ CABINETS TO MAINTAIN CLEAN LINES.**

**DINING AREA WITH SERVING COUNTER AT THE BACK. GLASS CABINET TO HOUSE SERVING WARE AND CUTLERY FOR EASY ACCESS.**

**MODERN LIGHT FIXTURES AND HVAC DUCTS THAT ALIGN WITH THE OVERALL STYLE.**

**MANDIR (PRAYER ROOM) TO ACCOMMODATE SPECIFIC FAMILY NEEDS.**

**LAUNDRY AREA FOR STORAGE OF EXTRA LINEN AND ALSO TUCK AWAY DIRT LINEN WITH A LARGE COUNTER FOR CLOTHES SORTING AND FOLDING.WATERFALL COUNTERTOP DETAIL WITH BUTCHER BOARD WOOD.**

MODERN VANITY WITH RECESSED MIRRORED CABINETS

CURBLESS SHOWERS FOR ACCESSIBILITY

MOTION SENSOR LIGHTING SAVES ELECTRICITY EVEN IF YOU FORGET TO TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!

KIDS BEDROOM 1

CLOSET WITH BIFOLD DOORS FOR BETTER ACCESS.

STORAGE NOOK FOR BACKPACKS

BAY WINDOW IN KIDS BEDROOM 2

KIDS BEDROOM 2

KIDS BATHROOM

HALLWAY TO MASTER BEDROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

POCKET DOOR ACCESS TO MASTER CLOSET

DRESSING AREA WITHIN MASTER CLOSET

SOUTH FACING WINDOWS TO ENSURE GOOD LIGHT.

LARGE SKYLIGHT FOR HI LOW VENTILATION

HALLWAY TO MASTER BATHROOM

MASTER BATHROOM

CURBLESS SHOWERS FOR EASY ACCESS.

**DETACHED GARAGE AT THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY**

**MODERN TREE SURROUND WITH STRIP LIGHTING FOR SEATING.**

**1500 GALLON UNDERGROUND WATER TANK TO COLLECT RAIN WATER OFF OF METAL ROOF.**

**SOLAR PANEL MOUNTED ON THE METAL ROOF ON THE REAR ELEVATION.**

Simple strategies used.

1. Changing the 'skin' of the home from the outside not only allowed us to change the look of the house but we will also be able to add foam insulation into these walls which previously had none. This automatically improves efficiency and hence will be a more comfortable home.

2. Another example of customization and efficiency being simultaneously met in this particular home was the removal of the fireplace. The home owners never used their existing fireplace and with the kind of weather in California this was an easy do away. Getting rid of their wood fireplaces freed up unused square footage as well as helped improve air quality.

3. The owners wanted to retain as much of the backyard as possible yet wanted a home that felt 'spacious'. By increasing the height of the added volume from 8' to 9' the same space felt larger and more voluminous without increasing the footprint.

Here are some videos of the ongoing construction.

Here is a short (er) video documenting the joys in window selection! As the envelope gets sealed up we went an extra step to also air seal it. I plan on testing the home for an ACH value which validates how 'tight' the home is and that basically means that the home wastes less energy and is more comfortable.

Here is the next in series of documentation of my construction. This phase documents the beginnings of the building of the shell or envelope of the addition and also documents how the old and new seamlessly connect.

Once Demo was done it was time to get the foundation in place. Since the house had an existing slab the remodel matched the existing construction and poured slab. Challenges with matching old with the new are always more than one imagines.