Beginning life as a 1929 Menlo Park builder's cottage of no particular architectural heritage, we remodeled and enlarged this residence, and gave it new life as a modern bungalow. Now featuring dramatic symmetrical skylights in the main living space, a small addition to the rear allowed a new kitchen, complete with skylit center island and breakfast bar. An ipe wood deck through new doors off the kitchen creates an "exterior room" for eating or entertaining, as does an on-grade gravel patio on the other side, off the living room. Both spaces enhance the perceived size of this still modest 1,500 s.f. bungalow.

Given the narrow frontage of the original cottage, expansion joints were arranged horizontally from new the stainless steel main entry door across the front facade and continuing across the new garden wall on the right side of the house, giving this still modest residence a much greater apparent width. To emphasize the effect, the 2 colors used in the exterior paint scheme are alternated vertically between the expansion joints.