The Marr House

The property is a mid-century modern home in the Piedmont Side of Montclair neighborhood in Oakland and was built in 1959, believed to have only been owned by one prior owner. The home has a truly amazing views of the San Francisco Bay Area.

After 9 months of planning and preparation, the remodel began on March 16, 2020 (the day shelter-in-place took effect) when the contractor did full demolition of all interior walls except for two partial walls between the garage and the home. Construction was completed in December 2020.

The challenge with the single-family home was that it was mainly one story with a disconnected, partially built lower level. Additionally, the location of the stairs and the length of the building helped to create a hall layout. The goal was to expand the size of the house, create a more harmonious flow, and feature the views.

We worked with the architect to redesign the layout. The entry draws attention to a new gracious twenty-foot sliding glass door that captures the picturesque views. This open plan linked the living room onto a deck with unobstructed glass rails. Furthermore, we relocated the stairs from one end of the house to the center, established a luxurious upper-level suite, and pushed the guest bedrooms downstairs to reduce the hall-like effect of the layout and connect the lower level to the living room upstairs. By doing some foundation work and moving the back wall on the lower level, we were able to increase from 3,232 square feet to 4,476 square feet.

Key house features:
Chef's kitchen with Henrybuilt cabinets, yellow Lacanche range, and island seating for 5
Fleetwood windows from floor to (near) ceiling in most locations to maximize the views in every corner of the house.
The office is behind a "secret" door
There is a dog bath in the storage/laundry area