Twelve years after moving in, a Palo Alto couple add space, functionality, and vibrance to their beloved midcentury.
This recent renovation of a family’s beloved 1950 Eichler home in Palo Alto, California, was a very long time coming. The family—Bennett, her husband, their three daughters, and two dogs—purchased and moved into the 1,548-square-foot home in 2011 after falling in love with its large windows and backyard citrus trees. “It was perfect for us,” says Bennett. “The big windows let in just the right amount of California sunshine, and coming from Singapore and New York City, it was a lot of space.”
A built-in bench painted orange to match the front door offers warmth, convenience, and a playful vibe for the entry.
Photo by Cesar Rubio
The family loved their Eichler, but as time went on, the children grew and they found themselves needing more space, more openness, and more storage. They planned to eventually renovate, but they put it off for years. “One day, I was wistfully yelling at the ceiling that I was going to remodel, and my eldest daughter, Fallon, rolled her eyes and said, ‘Mom, by the time you remodel the house, I’ll be gone,’” says Bennett. Fallon’s comment was the kick Bennett needed to finally move forward. “It hit me hard,” she says. “You want to remodel so your family can enjoy it, not do it when they’re all gone.”
In the kitchen/dining area, Oceania Gloss blue wall tile from Island Stone offsets the orange door and dining chairs, adding a cool, calm quality to the space.
Photo by Cesar Rubio
Bennett began to search for just the right firm and she discovered Ogawa Fisher Architects one night while scrolling on the internet. “I stumbled upon their website and literally started crying because I knew they’d get it,” she says. “Their designs are simple and clean with lots of light and playful touches.” After submitting a query form, Bennett received a call from Hiromi Ogawa. They discussed what Bennet loved about the firm’s work—and the fact that she didn’t have a big budget. “I needed to know they’d help me navigate where to save and what to really invest in,” says Bennett.
Bennett, her husband, and their three daughters hang out in the skylit kitchen, which has oak cabinetry, porcelain slab counters in Nero Assoluto from Laminam, and porcelain tile flooring in Smoke from Evo.
Photo by Cesar Rubio
See the full story on Dwell.com: A Family (Finally) Gives Their Eichler Home a Top-to-Bottom Reboot
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