Houzz TV: A Sanctuary for Life and Work

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Houzz TV: A Sanctuary for Life and Work

Photographer Nicolo Sertorio and research scientist Seonok Lee were looking for a spacious, multifunctional home with an easy commute to San Francisco. They found what they wanted in a 3,300-square-foot unit that’s part of a live-work community in Oakland once owned by artist Bruce Beasley in 1989 and designed in collaboration with architect Thomas Dolan. Working with architect Marc DiGiacomo, they converted their big, blank box into a modern living space with a studio for Sertorio’s photography business.

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Comments (87)
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Meaghan B
Beautiful bright and open space :)
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Julie Blesener
Love it. Wonder where the sofa in photo studio is from
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deyabhijit
Sertorio's house is as beautiful as the photographs he takes, with a contribution from Lee.
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christinecprice
This home is exquisite....layout and decor furnishings are so unique and beautiful. I'm awestruck!
11 Likes    
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wuff
Stunning
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Shakuff
Absolutely stunning. So gorgeously designed. I wouldn't know what to do with all of that space! :)
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magpie4
Wow! Starting with such a blank canvas must have been a great opportunity, I love what they've turned it into! The wood flooring in the main area was such a wonderful transformation - it really brought a lot of warmth into what was quite a cold, stark room. :)
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midmodfan
I understand their frustration with renovated (or rather: 'remuddled') homes. For the discerning of us, a blank canvas works best. This is an absolutely wonderful renovation!
The kitchen & bath cabinets and hardware look fantastic - I've never seen anything similar at the big box stores. Can you give us a hint what brand to look for?
4 Likes    
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spansell
Nicolo Sertorio photography is incredible. How are they mounted?
3 Likes    
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intown123
midmodfan - I have very similar kitchen cabinets - if not the same - from Home Depot. The brand is Innermost. Coincidentally we also have the Silestone White Zeus Extreme counters on them.
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Southwest Greens of Indiana
What a transformation! Its definitely an ideal dream home.
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DSC DesignWorks
I love this home! And of course the bookworm in me is drooling over those bookcases...
7 Likes    
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Larissa
Amazing! Oh how i want to live in this house!
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kathleen MK
Awesome! Rubber flooring would be great in my art room easy on my feet and quieter for all the messy kids. I also love how many of the bookcases had wheels.

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Olita Dierckx
I want to live there. Fabulous
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Grimalkin
This home was very interesting and the design is well thought out. There are a lot of fun whimsical details. But I would rather not see the naked women photos. I did enjoy seeing pretty orange Romeo.
6 Likes    
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Aron Doherty
Not see naked photos in a photography studio? What a good job we can quickly scroll past any shocking pictures these days, or better yet eliminate all future risk and stop looking at photos of other peoples homes and spaces! Good grief.
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Sipho Sipho
beautiful, awesome
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LakeandMountainHome
Beautifully done. An open space like this can be tricky if its not done with a good balance of "modern" styles with warm accents. The texture in the wood ceiling and the color of the floors nicely balance the hard clean lines of the furniture and keep the look grounded. A beautiful old wood table would look nice in this space as well for the same reason. There are some farm table styles that would look nice as well that are a good combination of elegant and comfortable.
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Margot Hartford Photography
Regarding the question by juliebl11, Nicolo tells me that "the sofa (in the photo studio) was imported many years ago from Italy. I don't remember the manufacturer."
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sdundon1
Love! Where are those flat cabinet pulls from?
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lorieanes
Beautiful job Margot! I love seeing all the art in there too!
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artisticgurl44
one word "INCREDIBLE"
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martinmittelmark
I hope you've put solar panels on this structure as 25 foot ceilings can make for a very high heating bill, and people have said that the coldest winter they ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.
2 Likes    
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anjin12
People keep knocking me for my like of Ikea and their design aesthetic. I like the cabinets and the closets in the bedroom. It works for me. The two 4x4 storage units in the loft are exactly what I have, and for the same reason - functional and great looking. Ikea is my goto for design and value.
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Debby
Midmodfan, the captions note all bathroom cabinets and countertops/sinks are Ronbow. You can go to ronbow.com as well as local stores that feature bathroom plumbing fixtures. We have a Ronbow vanity in our powder room and the quality is excellent!
2 Likes    
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ellie48
What brilliant spaces. I love it all. This took vision, collaboration and some compromise I'm sure. Brilliant result. I want to live here too!
2 Likes    
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jansgirl
Love, love it. I would have liked to keep the wall mounted drinking fountains (I think that is what I saw in the before picture) for the whimsical factor!!
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Barb NeCastro
Pretty amazing!
3 Likes    
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ejsanderson
What type of wood floor is it? and what is the width of the plank? Beautiful
   
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Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR
Love the floaty orbs of colored light! LED is giving us such fun options for lighting these days. I noticed the nice selection of lighting fixtures throughout.
3 Likes    
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goodewyfe
They clearly used their cat as their color inspiration - what a cutie. As for the coldest winter being summer in San Francisco, while that can be true (it varies by year), it pretty much always warms up quite a bit in September and October. It is sometimes even warm in November. (Many years ago I was there in October and it was in the 90's.)
2 Likes    
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Loretta Casart
I never thought I would say this, but I LOVE the color changing LED light fixtures. So happy...like balloons floating in the high, open space.
3 Likes    
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SLFA
Absolutely brilliant! I really like what you have done. There is not one thing I can say that I would have done differently. Thank you for sharing this amazing transformation.
4 Likes    
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julieguerin
Glass
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nina47
Great!
2 Likes    
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zweiback
A big WOW! What a beautiful home to live in and create from!
3 Likes    
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davidlincoln
Minimal but "Maximal".....
Paraphrasing an earlier comment not one thing I don't like.....
Very cool
2 Likes    
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L.L. Maxwell
Fabulous! Beautifully updated to function as a live work space that is as inspiring as it is restorative for a busy lifestyle.
2 Likes    
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bhannah1
Boom!! Great Job!!
2 Likes    
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jerryalan
While the all-white, ultra-modern look is not my style, they did a good job of this house.
2 Likes    
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B Cohen
Magnificent! I congratulate you on a beautiful, functional work-live space.
2 Likes    
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voslauer
Can you please suggest me a place that does Artemide lighting? I've looked all over the internet, but I was only able to find http://www.interior-deluxe.com/, has anyone any experience with them?
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Nicolò Sertorio
Artemide has it's own line of stores in all major US cities.
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Gary Gookins
Like the space. I would have done the floors lighter and went more tradishenal
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Marcia Crumley Fine Art
What vision, to take such a stark place and make it so warm and inviting. The Tigerwood flooring works wonders! Thanks for sharing your stunning home!!
2 Likes    
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Silvia Almeida
Love it!
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Susan
I love everything, but the lighting in the great room. I would have used something a little more dramatic like Chihuly-style fixtures instead of the pastel globes. However, the rest of the space is breathtaking.
1 Like    
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artisticgurl44
i still see a big white box only with furniture in it i thought some color would be added to the walls not all of them but anyway it's designed very nice.........i'm loving all that storage and the wood
2 Likes    
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Wharfside
What a fantastic space, and so hard to make such spaces feel homely rather than like a converted warehouse - this has done it perfectly. *Hannah
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anitapa777
Sofa
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Variation
looks great and I live the wide open spaces but what were your thoughts behind the carpet in the kitchen?
3 Likes    
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Green Brick Builders

Love it! Love it! Love it! These guys sure did a wonderful job. The space looks so inviting and relaxing. I sure would love to be invited to a dinner party in this space. It must be pretty awesome!! Great job!!

2 Likes    
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shebaq

This couple clearly respect each other, taking into account the type of space that enriches their relationship, individually and mutually. Their compromise created a beautiful home in which to grow and nurture their love, and lifestyle. That is what makes a home. Delightful that this couple shared the home they created. Yet not surprising. Wishing them, particularly her, continued good health!

3 Likes    
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jopimd
Wow!! Congrats to Sentorio's ingenuity and artsy innovation. Thank you very much for sharing your home con work space that I hope can also be modeled in my future space. I love every corner of your spacious, functional and cozy home with a touch of living greens as well. Great job indeed. - Jopi, MD
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User

Wow, just wow! I love live/work spaces; my husband and I are both musicians and have our own live/work space nothing so magnificent! The mix of warm wood tones and living green plants works so well with all of the white and light. Thank you for sharing this artistic and creative space with us!

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Laray Kelly

The calmness is felt throughout the house, even through the video. Impressive.

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Shoshana Bloom

Did you see that gorgeous cat matching the Colour of the floor?

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Closetworld

Looks very much like a sofa carried at LaZboy recovered in one of their fabulous fabrics.

   
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Luetta Gay

what an inviting space, it speaks calmness which allows room for productivity and energy...love the light


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Resale Unlimited

Elegant.


1 Like    
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galeg

Beautifully done home with lots of "God is in the details" additions. Residents are very gracious and considerate. Thanks for allowing us to see your home!


2 Likes    
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Sidney Arndt

Love your open home! I feel peaceful taking in your surroundings...love that each item has a history, something that has lived somewhere else before being placed in your home. Well Done!

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Sarah West
What a beautiful home! I love the use of wood, accent colours, texture, art, unique furniture and plants to create lots of character and warmth. There's certainly lots to learn from how they have created a home from a white box.
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Jane Hall

I love them as much as the home!!!

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capeanner

Very attractive space. I somehow missed the "naked women and orange Romeo". Are we confusing stories here? There are paintings and/or photos of naked bodies in nearly every museum, not to mention every human is contained in one.

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Reagan Mburu
Amazing set up
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rochellelow

What a beautiful space.


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User

I loved this entire presentation. The house is a testimony to Love, Beauty, Harmony, Respect and Balance. I felt calmed and comforted by both the couple and their gorgeous home. Thank you for sharing your story. May you both be richly blessed with every abundance. You took great bones and created a masterpiece.

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KHE Construction Corporation

This is an inspirational video that truly captures the reasons why we all want to build. Nico and Seonok are privelidged to be able to work on their own signature space despite the boom in the housing market.

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Leanne French

What a beautiful story, and space.

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claudiamd

Love, love, love! Oh, my!

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drddconrad

I felt so peaceful after watching the video, the space is not only beautiful and serene but clearly reflects the best of it's creators.

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moonkistone
A little too much white but I love the concept & the balcony!
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ericaseelig

They feel like very nice people.

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nest & nestle

love the space, wish the bathroom had been shown more in depth. I never saw any naked women pics, and truly if that is offensive, stay out of any museum...cant believe that was even a complaint.

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Nguyen Xuan Son

So beautiful space to live

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zandile cele

Wow! its very beautiful and huge space with lots of fresh air, love the openness the brightness brought by white and proper lighting...

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Linda Dubins

What neighborhood in Oakland?

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Ania

Love the story of this home..

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Theresa Paul
What a cool couple! I love how all of their furniture had a special story. And I love how she felt her husband gave her courage and hope to carry on with a personal illness in the middle of it all.
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Donco Designs

Beautifully designed concept... It really shows how well design, architecture and great construction go hand in hand to make the perfect multi-functional setting.

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User

This is a great project. It is interesting to see the before and after of this project. I appreciate how they know who they are, and they have integrated that into their home. They have really thought about how they live and entertained, and they have designed their home around their lifestyle. I love hearing all the stories of each piece of furniture. You should surround yourself with the things you love and have a story to them. It says so much more about you.

   
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Bruce Holmes
love it
   
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SG ASSOCIATES BUILDERS & DEVELOPERS, KUMBAKONAM

Excellent work and thanks for sharing

SG Associates

www.sgakumbakonam.in

   
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HU-847473319
wonderful
   
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Green Brick Builders

WOW! What a transformation. The whole space looks gorgeous and that wall of cabinets is beautiful. Great inspiration!!