This recent renovation of a family’s beloved 1950 Eichler home in Palo Alto, California, was a very long time coming. The family—Bennett, her husband, their three daughters, and two dogs—purchased and moved into the 1,548-square-foot home in 2011 after falling in love with its large windows and backyard citrus trees. “It was perfect for us,” says Bennett. “The big windows let in just the right amount of California sunshine, and coming from Singapore and New York City, it was a lot of space.”

The family loved their Eichler, but as time went on, the children grew and they found themselves needing more space, more openness, and more storage. They planned to eventually renovate, but they put it off for years. “One day, I was wistfully yelling at the ceiling that I was going to remodel, and my eldest daughter, Fallon, rolled her eyes and said, ‘Mom, by the time you remodel the house, I’ll be gone,’” says Bennett. Fallon’s comment was the kick Bennett needed to finally move forward. “It hit me hard,” she says. “You want to remodel so your family can enjoy it, not do it when they’re all gone.”

Bennett began to search for just the right firm and she discovered Ogawa Fisher Architects one night while scrolling on the internet. “I stumbled upon their website and literally started crying because I knew they’d get it,” she says. “Their designs are simple and clean with lots of light and playful touches.” After submitting a query form, Bennett received a call from Hiromi Ogawa. They discussed what Bennett loved about the firm’s work—and the fact that she didn’t have a big budget. “I needed to know they’d help me navigate where to save and what to really invest in,” says Bennett.

After the call, Bennett made the leap and hired the firm to update her home. In an early planning meeting, she asked Ogawa and her partner, Lynn Fisher, to help identify not only where to save versus splurge, but what elements should change versus what should be maintained. It was important to Bennett to stay true to the midcentury design, to keep the big windows, and to enhance the indoor/outdoor connection.

“They didn’t want a large home,” says Ogawa. “They loved their current home and just wanted it to be better.” For Bennett and her family, better meant more open kitchen, dining, and living spaces; another bedroom, bathroom, and walk-in closet; a redesigned entry; and much more storage.

The architects quickly got to work, knocking down walls in the public spaces and tying the kitchen to the living and dining areas and the rear yard. “Expansive glass doors allow seamless outdoor transitions,” says Ogawa, who, with Fisher, added a central island and a linear skylight that brightens new oak cabinetry, black porcelain counters, and large-format porcelain tile flooring. “The skylights add so much delight to the house,” says Olena Vodetska, job captain at Ogawa Fisher Architects.

Ogawa and Fisher outfitted the dining area with an integrated bench crafted from oak. “It hugs the kitchen peninsula and brings the action between the kitchen and the dining table closer together,” says Ogawa. The bench also saved space, letting the architects create a more generous living area. “We wanted the kitchen to connect to other rooms, so it wasn’t isolated,” says Bennett. “I’m usually the one cooking while holding court with guests, helping kids with homework, or listening to TV, so I wanted a ‘central command’ view from the kitchen.”

The architects added another bedroom so each daughter would have her own and created a bathroom and a walk-in closet for Bennett and her husband. They redesigned the entry with a storage wall for shoes, backpacks, and sports gear, and lined the hallway adjacent to the kitchen with floor-to-ceiling storage. “All the windows and doors were replaced, and opening sizes were optimized,” says Fisher. Honoring the home’s midcentury bones, they restored the original tongue-and-groove ceiling and wood beams.

Ogawa and Fisher also gave the exterior a refresh with a new carport and paint. “The previous exterior was beige and had traditional trim language,” says Fisher. “We looked at several palette options in 3D, and unanimously landed on a cool gray color scheme.”

The home now measures 2,012 square feet—and even with all of its vibrant and functional updates, it still feels like a classic Eichler. “Our big family dining table is my favorite spot,” says Bennett. “The first time my daughter did her homework there, all sprawled out, I smiled—I’d imagined the scene so many times.”

The backyard is just as satisfying. “We find ourselves eating and hanging outside double, if not triple, the time we used to,” says Bennett. “I’m so happy we can enjoy this together before the kids start to leave the nest.” She adds, “maybe now, they’ll be more willing to come home after they leave.”

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Project Credits:

Architecture & Interior Design: Ogawa Fisher Architects / @ogawa.fisher

Original Architect of Record: Anshen & Allen

Construction: CB Builders

Structural Engineer: William Harrison Consulting Engineer

Landscape Design: Calandra Design

Cabinetry & Built-Ins: Phil Buehrig, Built-In Cabinetry

Tile Setter: Colin Peeke-Vout

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