Living Room Favourites

Reds, oranges, and wood tones blend to create a warm setting for gathering with friends and family.

The living room boasts a bright blue epoxy “rug” and tables fashioned from logs.

The interiors are restrained with an organic color and material palette, letting views of the great outdoors take center stage.

Fortunately, the damaged exterior and dismally dark 1970s interior didn’t scare away NMT Financial, who were captivated by the home wrapped around a massive oak tree embedded into the inner courtyard. Oakland-based See Arch was hired to restore the home’s modernist character while updating the dwelling to contemporary standards.

Completed in 1953 by architect Harry Nakahara, this home sits at the end of a cul-de-sac in Berkeley Hills and was specifically designed to take advantage of the panoramic views of the Bay Area bridges, city skyline, and Mount Tamalpais. The majority of the home's original features—including the layout, finishes, and light fixtures—are still intact, while specific updates to the kitchen have been made.

The home's main living spaces are located on the top level, offering a perch from which to look out on the surrounding landscape. Here, a cozy family room features a corner window with views of the Laguna Mountains in the distance.

In the public spaces, large sliding glass doors provide a seamless connection for indoor/outdoor living.

A look inside the Cor-Ten–clad Sonoma weeHouse and its open-plan living space and ipe interiors.

Existing windows were replaced with Loewen wood-clad units. The team also sanded and lightened the cedar paneling. "We liked that original tone of the cedar and just lightened it up to look more modern and airy," says Wittman.

A pair of Milk sofas bookend a Thomas Hatton Muebles cypress coffee table.

Master Bedroom Entrance from Open Living Space

Slatted walnut walls are located on either side of the main living area. "We found in many modern homes with open floor plans that there is a really poor sound quality," explain the architects. "We wanted to design a solution that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but solved this issue—so both sides of the main living space have wood slat walls backed with acoustic felt."

The living room on the first floor is the main family gathering space. “It is the collection zone for togetherness, and offers an abundance of natural light and extended views out to the bay and beyond,” says architect Tony Vella.

The first-floor living room features a dramatic fireplace with a concrete surround and solid brass shelves that frame the wood storage and shelving.

Ash timber lines the walls of the second floor to lend a sense of warmth and visually separate the private areas from the communal spaces on the ground floor.

“Windows on the walls, floors, and ceilings help to connect each room with the whole house,” add the architects.

Next to the entrance is a flex room framed by two ash timber partition walls that can be used to host guests.

“The house went up so fast compared to a lot of buildings we do, because it’s such a simple design,” explains designer Tim Whitehill.