The couple who own this San Francisco bungalow lived there for six years before making any changes. “We took it slowly, only giving it a lick of paint when we moved in, just to brighten it up,” says the owner. “We got to sit in the house and notice where the light was, and where the nice corners were—but also, what we were missing.”

As the family grew, they felt the pinch in certain spots. For starters, the existing kitchen was useful, but a bit cramped, as both owners love to cook, entertain, and collect. The basement had an independent suite for guests, but no interior access to reach it. And the bedrooms were spread across the two floors, with no primary suite.

Fortunately, friends recommended local firm Edmonds + Lee Architects, whose principals, architects Robert Edmonds and Vivian Lee, also happen to live around the corner. “They wanted us to help them consider a long-term vision for the house,” says Edmonds. Adds the homeowner: “We just needed it to work better for us as we grew as a family.”

Before: Living and Dining Room

From the start, it was essential to maintain two elements of the house that the owners loved: the rooms at the front, with the most remaining historic detail, and the backyard, which was a big selling point when they bought it. To that end, the firm limited interventions at the front of the house, beyond painting the facade black and swapping out the flooring for wide oak planks throughout.

After: Living and Dining Room

The architects expanded the rear of the home at both floors, and dug down to create additional living space in the basement, adding a total of about 850 square feet. This gave the owners a much bigger kitchen on the main level, as well as a dedicated primary suite upstairs, alongside the existing two bedrooms and hall bath.

Even better, the architects built a new staircase to connect the main level to the remodeled basement, substantially expanding not only the guest quarters, but also the family bonus spaces.

Before: Rear Facade

After: Rear Addition

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

As far as aesthetics go, the couple specified “clean, modern, and warm,” with new detailing that syncs with the old, yet remains distinct. “There is a single door, a portal, that divides the old house from the new house,” says Edmonds. “You feel like you’re walking through a time machine.”

Original built-in elements—like the glass cabinets that flank the fireplace and line the dining room—give way to sleek, custom white cabinetry in the kitchen. (The cabinet interiors are fashioned with pale oak to echo the new flooring.) Even the gable shape of the addition’s roof echoes traditional San Francisco vernacular, says Edmonds, albeit with a modern twist, thanks to two bands of glass and wood slats on the facade.

The goal of the remodel was always to ensure that family life, and everyone’s favorite things, would remain in the forefront. “Our approach was not to have an overly fussy interior palette, but just something simple and refined that could be a backdrop,” says Edmonds. “We designed a home that would grow with them.”

After: Stairs, Pantry, and Powder Room

Before: Crawl Space

After: Basement

After: Primary Suite

More projects by Edmonds + Lee Architects:

This Renovated Esherick Perfectly Frames the San Francisco Bay

A Vintage Airstream Trailer Is Now the Ultimate Live/Work Mobile

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Edmonds + Lee Architects / @edmondsleearchitects

Builder: Devlin McNally Construction

Structural Engineer: Double-D Engineering

Cabinetry: Sozo Studio