Calera Creek
San Mateo
CONTRACTOR: Kasten Builders
LANDSCAPING: West Bay
PHOTOGRAPHY: Paul Dyer Photography
The owners of a single-story, 1920’s—1,800 square foot, two-bedroom one-bath home suddenly found themselves out of space with three young children. Loving the neighborhood and never planning to move, an extensive remodel with second-story addition gave them a four-bedroom, three-bath two-story new home of their dreams in 2,700 square feet. Being very environmentally-conscious they did not want ducts or air conditioning and opted for hydronic radiant heated floors, natural air circulation with many operable windows providing cross-ventilation, and on-demand hot water heating. San Mateo’s planning rules mandated a design friendly to the traditionally-styled neighborhood, not allowing flat or metal roofs.
The response is a design solution that is now viewed by the city as a prime example of how to meld contemporary design into a traditional community. This family plays and works hard together. The father is a professional chef and has gourmet kitchens inside and out. The living room becomes the entertainment center with television and high-end surround sound systems. Instead of a family room there is a study center area with four computer workstations for homework. Off the master bedroom is a hot tub and outdoor dining area with fireplace and overhead lighting.
