Revamping the San Francisco Vernacular, Modern Design and Technology Serves A Busy Family

Homeowners David and Cameron Rivinus looked at over 200 homes in San Francisco before finally committing to the modest one-story over a garage—a two-bedroom, one-bath home in the Noe Valley neighborhood. As the story goes, they stumbled upon the original structure while on a walk with their daughter. After touring the home, their dream was to modernize and expand the space that they could comfortably live and grow. 

The couple hired Designpad Architecture to create adaptable spaces where they could come together as a family, but also find their spaces apart. The renovation involved thoughtfully expanding the home horizontally into the backyard and vertically towards captivating views of downtown, while mindfully integrating technology to establish a safer environment for two children. Interspersed throughout, Nest Cam IQ helped the family of four feel more secure by intelligently connecting to them throughout their home.* Outfitted with honest materials inspired by modern design, the three-story renovation allows them to live more easily in an open floor plan, flooded with natural light. 

"One of the things I have always loved about modern design is how purposeful things are, how the goal is to do more with less. You want to make things beautiful, while also keeping them very functional," says David. 

After living in San Francisco for over 16 years, David and Cameron were both well-accustomed to lateral living spaces. Like the other very similar homes that were constructed adjacent to it (though each is slightly different than the next), "there’s not a lot you can do with the perimeter of your home," says Cameron. Their renovation involved expanding living space on the ground floor, an open floor plan on the main floor with a rear deck, and a new third story with a master suite and two bedrooms. "We wanted to make sure that we had an open floor plan where our family could take advantage of as much light as we possibly could."  

Envisioning multi-functional living spaces that are both comfortable and safe, Cameron decided to introduce Nest Cam IQ security cameras that monitor the children's bedrooms and shared areas inside their home. While she or David are in and out of the house throughout the day, they receive customized Person Alerts that let them know someone is in the house. She can check in on their two-year-old son Ned and their five-year-old daughter Frankie periodically. With wide and close-up tracking views, the cameras allow her to see their nanny of many years, Nina. "We’ll get an alert that it’s 5:30 and they are having their dinner. It is great to have that peace of mind and I don’t have to disrupt Nina in what she is doing," says Cameron.* 

For David, the Nest app helps him feel more connected to the house, especially when he is away. "That little moment is like a little check in on what they are up to and causes me to take a second to think about the family. It's just a helpful reminder of what is going on. Maybe my son is napping upstairs, or they are all eating lunch in the kitchen," says David.*

For them, it was important to put effort into creating a space that made living easier and more comfortable. "It's where we spend the most of our time as a family. The peace of mind and sense of security we gain by protecting it is invaluable to us," says David. 

* Video streaming, video recording, and mobile notifications require working internet and Wi-Fi.