John Mills Davies, director of design;
Skip Reichenberg, project design manager;
Scott Hall, designer; Robert S. Merchel, design consultant/draftsman;
David Hall, draftsman
Marrokal Construction Co.
San Diego, Calif.
Estimated house value: $800,000 to $1 million
Estimated remodel budget: $500,000
- The Marrokal designers moved the kitchen from the center to the corner of the house and expanded it into the original dining room. This provides extra space for a pantry and powder room. They added a circular countertop for casual dining at the end of the long run of cabinets, and maintained the breakfast nook, but added built-in shelves. New French doors provide much-needed access to the rear patio.
- Since the family did not want a formal living room, the design team transformed the living room into a dining room. They added a butler’s pantry from the kitchen for easy entertaining.
- Built-in storage units provide a bench and coat closet on the foyer side and china cabinets on the side facing the dining room.
- To create a more welcoming entry, the designers moved the door toward the street and chose full glass doors to flood the foyer with light.
- The original “clutter” room is now a play area. Pocket doors allow the family to open or close off the playroom. A new universal design bath is adjacent to the playroom so it can also be used as a bedroom.
- The expanded laundry/mudroom has seating and cabinets for shoes and coats.
- The design team added a tower with a ridge skylight above the foyer to bring light into the center of the house and to create a sense of entry. On the upper floor, the tower houses an open loft off the master bedroom.
- To add curb appeal to the bland 1985 exterior, the designers chose Craftsman elements, including tapered columns, stone-covered chimneys, and simple light fixtures.