Classic Midcentury Modern Northern California Home Gets Clever Remodel

ED | Alanna Hale photo

I call myself “Mid Mod Mad,” so it is with relish I read of this classic 1970s home by famed architect Joseph Eichler being cleverly remodeled. Eichler built nearly 11,000 Northern California homes between 1949 and 1974, so it’s no wonder they’ve developed an almost cult-like following.

Some are nestled into the rolling ranchlands of Marin County, while others are clustered into culdesacs in Silicon Valley. This particular one, built in 1971, is the only Eichler sited west of Intersate 280 in the South Bay of San Francisco. A close friend of the architect’s, John Lynd, also an architect and founder of Stanford University’s planning department, commissioned it.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

The house was built around an open atrium, and part of the renovation involved enclosing it to make a more functional play area for the new owner’s children.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

I love how the renovation preserved the beautiful wood paneling and incorporated orginal artwork into its decoration.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

The floors in the main living area are a combination of durable terrazzo and cork.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

The kitchen island countertop is a single slab of solid walnut. I love the color combination of blue with pops of sunny yellow.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

I love the playfulness of the dining area–especially those pendants by Schneid from Stillfried Wein and the plaid artwork by Caragh Thuring

ED | Alanna Hale photo

The primary bedroom includes a custom bed and a fun picture ledge for interchangeable styling. I’m coveting that extra-long bolster pillow and the beamed and slatted ceiling.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

The primary bathroom mixes warm wood with more blue and savvy green cabinets.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

I love the cardboard insects on the walls of the girls’ room. They’re from Studio Roof.

ED | Alanna Hale photo

Owner Florie Hutchison poses with her four daughters in the now-enclosed atrium. Behind her is a portion of a custom fresco painted by Mariel Capana over the course of five weeks. It spans the 21-foot-long corridor leading to the girls’ wing of the house and illustrates the family’s history. Hutchinson likes passing by it daily, in the morning or on the way to bed. “I love the romance of it,” she says. “It could be around for 10,000 years.”

If you want more…

Check out the March 2022 issue of Elle Decor. The article “Built to Last” by Kelsey Keith begins on p. 114. If you have online ED access, follow the link to relive the tour and get all source details. Or purchase a print or Kindle subscription using the (affiliate) links below.

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