After living in the modest two-bedroom, one-bathroom bungalow for 12 years, Rudabeh Pakravan knew all the possible ways to configure the space for guests. “Before the pandemic, there was always someone in our house—my in-laws, my parents, friends,” says the architect, who shares the two-story home with her husband, Farbod; 16-year-old son, Mani; and their terrier, Otto.

“People were sleeping on the floor in the kitchen. We wanted more space, but we couldn’t rip the whole thing down because of budget constraints. So, we thought it made the most sense to keep the renovation to one discrete volume.”

Before: Rear Exterior

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After: Rear Exterior

Rudabeh, who is a founding principal of architecture firm Sidell Pakravan Architects in Berkeley, California, expanded the 1,400-square-foot house with a strategic two-level addition, which has a family room on the ground level and a bedroom suite above. In the process, she took the opportunity to revamp the kitchen and the existing bath, improve access to the backyard, and streamline the facade.

The nondescript bungalow now has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a distinctly modern outlook. “It’s 1,000% true that we’ve thought, ‘Why didn’t we do this earlier?’” Rudabeh says of the budget-savvy renovation, which was completed at the beginning of 2020. “Everyone fits in the house now.”

Before: Facade

After: Facade

Before: Breakfast Nook

After: Breakfast Nook

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

Rudabeh. The wall behind them is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy, and the other walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace. The popcorn was scraped off the ceiling and replaced with a thin coat of plaster." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Bruce Damonte" photoUserId="6133438342201282560"/>

Shop The Look

After: Bedroom

Rudabeh. The color, Benjamin Moore’s Florida Keys, is inspired by a hue in David Hockney’s iconic painting The Splash. The aqua flooring is nailed to the subfloor, and the carpet goes up to the edge with a slight reveal. The rectangle is occupied by an Eames molded plywood chair." layout="wide" credit="Photo by Bruce Damonte" photoUserId="6133438342201282560"/>

After: Bathroom

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More Before & After stories:

Before & After: A Los Angeles Bungalow Opens to a Gorgeous Garden Oasis

Before & After: Divine Details Streamline a Designer Couple’s L.A. Bungalow

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Sidell Pakravan Architects / @sidellpakravan

Builder/General Contractor: Mark Burkett, Daniel Stark, Jeff Galli

Structural Engineer: Farrokh Piruzmand

Landscape Design: Jenn Carroll Wilson

Appears In

Before & After: An Architect Upgrades a Blah Berkeley Bungalow With a Stylish Addition