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Danielle and Ely turned what was originally a storage area and mudroom on the first floor into a fourth bedroom to accommodate larger groups of guests. Unlike the rest of the home, the flooring here was run-down slate tile, which they swapped for custom, hand-painted Fireclay tile. It was a pricey part of the renovation, but the graphic results pay off.

The design changed slightly throughout the building process. For example, the window seat bench was initially going to extend along the entire wall to create an end table near the bed, but then "that tall skinny space appeared,

One of the owners is a chef, so the kitchen, featuring HAY Revolver bar stools, naturally takes centerstage. Although it opens to the living room, the imposing butcher block ensures that cooks can be sealed away when maximum concentration is needed.

Make sure your kitchen fits seamlessly with the rest of your home. A good entertaining space should have a look that's consistent with the overall design, so use finishings, colors, and other elements that compliment the rest of the space.

A pair of Splügen Braü pendants from Flos hang near a kitchen island topped with black Swedish granite. The faucets are from Vola and the appliances are from Siemens.

Amy worked with Josh Tomlinson of Tomlinson Woodworks to craft the island, which is as much of a showpiece as it is for storage. He also did the cabinetry.

"Around the time we were thinking of moving back [to San Francisco], I took a trip to Marfa, Texas, and fell in love with the agelessness of Donald Judd’s work," says Amy. "I liked the idea of having a classic American reference to the space, since we are influenced as much from America as we are by Asian culture."

Now, the sizeable kitchen is an exceptional blend of old and new. The original floors, coffered ceiling, and windows are joined with IKEA cabinets with Semihandmade fronts, and Vermont-sourced Danby marble counters.

Being able to leave work “downstairs” and watch movies in bed has been a favorite bonus part of living in the design.

Custom shelving built from old furniture and purchased plywood grace the back wall.

The guesthouse was the first part of the project to be completed, and Mel lived there while the main house was under construction. From his buying the property in 2009 to Sarah completing a roof garden, the entire renovation took roughly 11 years. Around the pool, the lounge chairs are from Restoration Hardware in a Charcoal fabric, and the trailing vine overhead is a California table grape installed by Sarah’s studio. The competition around the Cornilleau 500M Outdoor Crossover ping pong table can be fierce.

Before: Amanda softened the steel-and-concrete staircase.

Before: Amanda pulled the dining area, formerly staged in the kitchen, into the living room.

The bathroom in the guesthouse retains the claw-foot tub that came with the property.

Raising the cabinet height and installing new color-blocked Richlite counters and full-height backsplash help the kitchen feel larger.

Spring cleaning is the perfect time to move larger appliances and heavier pieces of furniture to clean all the dirt, dust, and grime that is usually left unnoticed.