When the homeowners approached us about their 1963 home in Mountain View, they knew it needed more than a cosmetic update. The house felt outdated—architecturally, it lacked presence; internally, the rooms felt disconnected from how the family moves and interacts.
Their vision was ambitious: Elevate the home’s architectural character and curb appeal, enhance the functionality and flow between the spaces throughout the home, create a large chef’s kitchen and family room area built for entertaining, and inject personality into every corner—from a “Hollywood Glam” suite for their daughter to a spa-inspired primary retreat.
How We Reimagined the Home:
- Architectural Character: We traded the uninspired “shed roof” for a prominent, timber-framed entry porch and stone columns. New gables and Craftsman-inspired details replaced the flat façade with depth and symmetry.
- The Heart of the Home: By adding strategic “bump-outs” to the dining and family rooms, we created a relaxed, connected flow between the living areas and unlocked the space for a massive gourmet kitchen featuring professional-grade appliances and a walk-in pantry built for entertaining.
- The Primary Suite Sanctuary: We designed and built a 700-square-foot addition to house a primary suite that feels like a five-star hotel and spa, alongside a professional home office that seamlessly pivots into a guest room.
- Hollywood Glam Ensuite Bedroom: We borrowed space strategically to create an ensuite bedroom and bathroom with a walk-in closet for the daughter and repurposed other former bedrooms into a practical laundry/sewing room and a guest room.
- Organic Luxury: Throughout the home, the family’s love of nature guided every finish. We paired a soft, organic palette with rich textures to ensure the home feels elevated and luxurious yet remains entirely “shoes-off” comfortable and unfussy.
- Interior Designer. We worked with Pattie Woerner, an interior designer and owner of New Leaf Designs, to bring the homeowners’ vision to life through her skillful direction of fixture and finish selections.
The result isn’t just a bigger house—it’s a cohesive home that supports this family’s life today and scales for their future.
What to Know Before Starting a Whole-Home Remodel?
Whole-home remodeling projects are increasingly common in Northern California, where many homes were built decades ago and no longer align with how families live today. While the opportunity is exciting, these projects require thoughtful planning from the very beginning.
1. Define Your “Why?”: One of the most important considerations is defining your goals clearly. Most successful remodels focus on improving functionality, updating the home’s style, and, often, increasing square footage. Prioritizing what matters most early in the process will guide decisions throughout and ensure your budget is spent where it makes the biggest impact.
2. Focus on Function and Flow: Modern living happens in the transitions. Most older homes have segmented floor plans that break up the space into separate rooms by function. Optimizing the flow and layout throughout the home – rather than simply updating the finishes – is at the heart of how a home feels and functions, and of creating a successful remodel.
3. Future-Proof Your Investment: A whole-home remodel provides a unique opportunity to plan for your future needs. Whether it’s an aging-in-place primary suite on the ground floor, a dedicated hobby room, or an ADU for multi-generational living, think 10-20 years ahead. Making these decisions early can prevent costly changes later.
4. The Design-Build Advantage: Separately managing permits, architectural drawings, design decisions, and construction is the leading cause of stress and “renovation fatigue.” A unified design-build approach helps homeowners weigh trade-offs and make informed decisions that ensure their vision and budget align with the actual construction from day one.
Ready to see what’s possible for your home?
When approached thoughtfully, a whole-home remodel can transform how a house looks and how it lives, creating a space that feels cohesive, functional, and timeless. Learn more about our design – build process and explore how we can help you transform your home into one you love coming home to.
Visit HammerschmidtInc.com, call us at 650.948.4200, or email us at info@hammerschmidtinc.com to learn more about our services.