A 1964 Eichler Home Renovation and Restoration

We are thrilled that one of our most extensive renovation projects to date has recently completed construction! We hope you enjoy the final outcome and most importantly, we are so pleased that our clients/homeowners love their "new" home as much as we do!

Late last year, we received an inquiry from a couple seeking design support for a renovation to their original 1964 Eichler home, located in the Parkwood Estates neighborhood of Concord, CA. From the first moment I met the homeowners, I was excited (and relieved!) that we all shared the same design goals and philosophy: to keep as many original details of their Eichler home intact, while making necessary updates to the home that would bring the home up to modern day standards, efficiency and usability.

Kitchen Before:

While the original kitchen was in decent shape after many, many years of use, one of the homeowners is quite tall, and either had to crouch down very low to use the original stove top, or sometimes bumped his head on the upper cabinets! The original cabinet sliding doors were in bad need of repair and no longer provided solid functionality, while the refrigerator was both small and not placed in the most useful spot:

We wanted to maintain a peninsula layout, to give nod to original Eichler kitchen layouts, while providing plenty of workspace and storage. The stove and refrigerator were also relocated, to allow for newer appliances and improved flow. It was also important to the owners to keep the "bar" countertop concept (as original Eichler kitchens were designed) and the door to the garage was relocated to accommodate new layout, but make sure it looked like it was always there.

Here is a 3D drawing of the layout from the Design & Planning Phase:

KITCHEN AFTER:

The homeowners also put a LOT of their own hard work into their home restoration, including sanding and refinishing all the original Luan paneling throughout the entire home and restoring interior doors. The original globe lights fit right in with the "new" kitchen design.

The custom kitchen cabinetry (working with the great folks at Style Bath & Kitchen in Oakland, CA) is a combination of Bamboo veneer and Matte White door finishes, complimented by gorgeous tile backsplash from Fireclay Tile. The clients sourced fantastic recessed pulls, in keeping with the original metal finger pulls on Eichler sliding cabinet doors.

Master Bathroom After

One of the (many!) favorite design elements of this project include the three-dimensional hexagon tile, from Heritage Tile's Atomic Collection, inspired by subway station tile, which if you are local, can be seen at BART stations across the Bay Area. Walnut veneer custom cabinetry for the vanity, and in the shower, we kept original layout, installing more handcrafted tile from Fireclay Tile.

Guest Vanity Before

Guest Bathroom After

The original vanity mirror and light fixture have been restored to their original luster and we love how well they pair with the picket shaped tile backsplash and new double walnut vanity. Again, we were so thrilled that it was just as important to the owners to be able to re-purpose some of the original materials that were part of the home.

The flooring throughout the home is new Vinyl Composite Tile, also known as VCT, another material that was similarly found in Eichler homes, but this time in a gray colorway, for a modern and concrete look. A few layers of flooring (both laminate and ceramic tile!) had to be removed to lay down the new floors.

Living and Dining Room After

The Living Room and Dining Room after newly sanded paneling, new flooring and new paint on their Eichler siding wall. Original fireplace kept intact (yay!) and carpet removed, giving way to a fresh new space. The vintage table lamp and side table shown below were from the original homeowners' family, given to the couple when they first purchased the home.

The homeowners are happy to be done with all the planning and construction (huge thank you to the great team at Square, Level Plumb!) and are now they are having fun selecting new furniture and artwork for their newly renovated spaces.

Thanks M & B for an amazing collaboration and the wonderful opportunity to help you transform your home!