A Silicon Valley couple transforms their dated 100-year-old home into a showpiece of European flair.
Standout pieces in the living room include a chandelier from RH, a sectional from Coup D’Etat and fireplace marble from Da Vinci Marble.
THE PROJECT
Never fear small projects. Sometimes, they can expand to other rooms and transform a home into something it should have been all along. That’s precisely what happened with a Silicon Valley couple and their 100-year-old Spanish hacienda-style property.
The owners of the 5,500-square-foot home selected Carolyn Brandwajn, principal at CBespoke (cbespoke.com), to redesign an en suite bath. However, as demolition began, the contractor, Level Up Home Remodeling (leveluphomeremodeling.com), discovered rotting windows, caving hardwood floors and a soggy subfloor.
The couple, venture capitalists whose children are no longer living at home, asked Brandwajn and her team to redesign the kitchen, primary bath and hallway bath to improve the layout. The team also added an expansive laundry room.
The kitchen showcases Ball Pitch Blue paint from Farrow and Ball on the island and cabinetry from Rabello’s Custom Cabinets.
THE TEAM
“The house wasn’t a fixer-upper but had very little architectural interest for a 100-year-old home,” says Brandwajn, whose design style juxtaposes contemporary elements against a classic aesthetic. “There were some wrought iron pieces and an original marble fireplace mantel that we kept, but we demolished everything else.”
Brandwajn says she draws inspiration from her clients’ life experiences, whether memories of a childhood home or a summer spent traveling through the South of France. “From there, I marry the design inspirations with how they live,” she says, noting her clients for this project entertain frequently, travel quite a bit and love all things related to their European destinations.
THE GOALS
Adding architectural interest to the house topped the list of priorities. “The formal living and dining rooms had vaulted ceilings with exposed rafters,” says Brandwajn. “We insulated the ceiling, added drywall and mounted beams that look original to the house.” The team also streamlined the layouts of the kitchen and bathroom.
Monarch Plank flooring lines the home, and salvaged wood ceiling beams add abundant character to the home.
THE LIVING ROOM
Since the room lacked grandeur, Brandwajn envisioned a transformation that summoned its 1920s construction. “We had a vintage wood company fabricate beams from salvaged wood that came from a dilapidated barn in upstate New York,” she says. “The hand-hewn finish instantly gave the space character.” She sourced the wood from E&K Vintage Wood (ekvintagewood.com) in Gardena, Calif., and lined the space with flooring from Monarch Plank (monarchplank.com).
Other standout pieces include antique bookcases sourced from Italy, a chandelier from RH (rh.com), a sectional from Coup D’Etat (coupdetatsf.com) and fireplace marble from Da Vinci Marble (davincimarble.com) in San Carlos.
THE KITCHEN
“This kitchen is the home’s crown jewel,” says Brandwajn, who wanted a French-style kitchen to reflect her clients’ affection for Europe. “We also embraced the mantra of more is more, hence the bright blue La Cornue range, matching range hood, two faucets for a 5-foot-long sink and exposed brass hinges.”
Other elements that grace this new culinary hub include cabinets from Rabello’s Custom Cabinets (rabellos.com), a Subzero refrigerator (subzero-wolf.com), a sink from The Galley (thegalley.com), faucets from California Faucets (calfaucets.com) and hardware from Wilmette Hardware (wilmettehardware.com). Brandwajn used Island Farrow, Ball Pitch Blue and All White paint from Farrow and Ball (farrow-ball.com) on the cabinets and sourced the countertop marble from Da Vinci Marble.
Above all, a European aesthetic prevailed. “We worked with antique dealers to bring unique French and Italian pieces and the statement-making La Cornue (lacornueusa.com) range set to the kitchen,” says Brandwajn.
A tub from Waterworks offers a quiet sanctuary in the en suite bathroom.
PRIMARY SUITE
“One of the first items we stumbled upon was the Waterworks (waterworks.com) exposed thermostatic shower system,” says Brandwajn, who also added a Waterworks tub and Da Vinci marble countertops. “This piece is the room’s highlight, so the idea was to keep everything else around clean and simple. I also gave the clients a walk-in closet with enclosed cabinets. Their clothes are neatly tucked behind closed doors, which is a must.”
HOW THE HOME IS LIVING
By adding European flair to every room and ensuring the structural integrity of the home, Brandwajn and her CBespoke colleagues created a visual and functional masterpiece. “My clients are in love with their new ‘old house’ and enjoy living in a showpiece,” she says.
A Waterworks exposed thermostatic shower system graces the primary suite’s bathroom.
DESIGN DETAILS
Home Type
Single-family
Location
Silicon Valley
Designer
CBespoke
cbespoke.com
Contractor
Level Up Home Remodeling
leveluphomeremodeling.com
RESOURCES
California Faucets
Faucets, kitchen
calfaucets.com
Coup D’Etat
Sectional, living room
coupdetatsf.com
Da Vinci Marble
Marble, fireplace, living room; countertops, kitchens and bath
davincimarble.com
E&K Vintage Wood
Ceiling beams, living room
ekvintagewood.com
Farrow and Ball
Pitch Blue and All White paint, kitchen cabinets
farrow-ball.com
La Cornue
Range, kitchen
lacornueusa.com
Monarch Plank
Flooring, throughout home
monarchplank.com
Rabello’s Custom Cabinets
Cabinets, kitchen
rabellos.com
RH
Chandelier, living room
rh.com
Subzero
Refrigerator, kitchen
subzero-wolf.com
The Galley
Sink, kitchen
thegalley.com
Waterworks
Tub and thermostatic shower system, primary bath
waterworks.com
Wilmette Hardware
Hardware, kitchen
wilmettehardware.com
Photography by: Agnieszka Jakubowicz; Styled by Rachel Forslund
