Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Happy Blend of Traditional and Modern Styles
Homeowners work to get their Northern California forever house just right for both of them
Photos by Trevor Henley
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Andrea Gardner and her husband and their two rescue dogs, Lucy the Great Dane and Zola the Husky
Location: Western Marin County, California
Size: 2,600 square feet (241.5 square meters); three bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
The backstory: “Do it. You only live once, unless I’m mistaken.” This was the sage advice Andrea Gardner’s father gave her in 2011 when they first visited a dreamy plot of land her husband had found in western Marin County, California.
During the 30 years the couple lived in Los Angeles, her husband always felt a pull toward the beautiful region north of San Francisco. “He was always looking at real estate and land out there,” Gardner says. “I was busy with two kids and work in L.A. and I would glaze over when he talked about it, but I did love the hiking, vistas and Tomales Bay views.”
But when she stood on the fern- and oak-covered site and looked out at the bay with her father, the glaze lifted: She was sold on sharing time between Los Angeles and Northern California.
The architect: With their site chosen, the couple searched for an architect on Houzz and were drawn to the work of Rob Kelly, especially this cabin restoration. One problem: Husband loved old-fashioned traditional cabins and farmhouses but wife had a penchant for modern.
“As a landscape architect, I had successfully merged the different design visions of husbands and wives over the years, so I suggested ‘Industrial Farmhouse,’” Gardner says of her plan to combine her tastes and her husband’s in a way that would make both happy.
Back entrance: The tile on the steps is encaustic and is from Granada Tile in Los Angeles. We’ll see more of these lively patterns inside the house.
Who lives here: Andrea Gardner and her husband and their two rescue dogs, Lucy the Great Dane and Zola the Husky
Location: Western Marin County, California
Size: 2,600 square feet (241.5 square meters); three bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
The backstory: “Do it. You only live once, unless I’m mistaken.” This was the sage advice Andrea Gardner’s father gave her in 2011 when they first visited a dreamy plot of land her husband had found in western Marin County, California.
During the 30 years the couple lived in Los Angeles, her husband always felt a pull toward the beautiful region north of San Francisco. “He was always looking at real estate and land out there,” Gardner says. “I was busy with two kids and work in L.A. and I would glaze over when he talked about it, but I did love the hiking, vistas and Tomales Bay views.”
But when she stood on the fern- and oak-covered site and looked out at the bay with her father, the glaze lifted: She was sold on sharing time between Los Angeles and Northern California.
The architect: With their site chosen, the couple searched for an architect on Houzz and were drawn to the work of Rob Kelly, especially this cabin restoration. One problem: Husband loved old-fashioned traditional cabins and farmhouses but wife had a penchant for modern.
“As a landscape architect, I had successfully merged the different design visions of husbands and wives over the years, so I suggested ‘Industrial Farmhouse,’” Gardner says of her plan to combine her tastes and her husband’s in a way that would make both happy.
Back entrance: The tile on the steps is encaustic and is from Granada Tile in Los Angeles. We’ll see more of these lively patterns inside the house.
The inspiration: Looking at the buildings in the area, they found their inspiration in the vernacular. “We could take the clerestory from the local Bear Valley Visitor Center and the corrugated roof of the only market in town and blend in the white board-and-batten siding of the historic dairy homes and barns of the Italian-Portuguese settlers out on the Point Reyes National Seashore. Bingo!” Gardner says.
Kelly was more than up for the challenge. In 2014, the pros they hired at Crescent Builders were finally able to break ground. The family moved in last August.
Here you can see how the architectural influences play out on the home’s exterior. With its board-and-batten siding, square windowpanes, metal roof and front porch, it has modern farmhouse style. The couple’s son Ben made the swing.
Exterior paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
Kelly was more than up for the challenge. In 2014, the pros they hired at Crescent Builders were finally able to break ground. The family moved in last August.
Here you can see how the architectural influences play out on the home’s exterior. With its board-and-batten siding, square windowpanes, metal roof and front porch, it has modern farmhouse style. The couple’s son Ben made the swing.
Exterior paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
The site: The land is part of a dairy farm that was subdivided into several lots. “We wanted the house to have the look of an older home that had been added onto over time,” Gardner says. To the right you can catch a glimpse of the breezeway that connects the mudroom and the garage.
The road to breaking ground was complicated, and involved the building department, neighbors’ concerns, septic experts, an arborist, one wildlife biologist who inspected for nests of the white hooded owl and a second who searched for bat nests using infrared glasses at night. “I prayed we didn’t find Native American burial shards. Seriously,” Gardner says.
Ipe wood planking runs down to the driveway. This and the lack of steps up to the front door are important aspects of the universal design of the home.
The house is surrounded by beautiful oaks that were carefully protected during construction.
The road to breaking ground was complicated, and involved the building department, neighbors’ concerns, septic experts, an arborist, one wildlife biologist who inspected for nests of the white hooded owl and a second who searched for bat nests using infrared glasses at night. “I prayed we didn’t find Native American burial shards. Seriously,” Gardner says.
Ipe wood planking runs down to the driveway. This and the lack of steps up to the front door are important aspects of the universal design of the home.
The house is surrounded by beautiful oaks that were carefully protected during construction.
Garage: To the right of the house is the garage, which resembles a barn. “White with a red barn was a classic vernacular choice,” Gardner says. The Z garage doors also nod to agricultural architecture (but they conveniently roll up). The land was graded to lower the garage so it would be an acceptable height for the neighborhood.
Andrea grew up in a red barn house. Her 25-year-old son and 90-year-old father removed the eagle weathervane from that home so the couple could top their cupola with it. “Everyone was excited to see it reused, and it really works here,” Gardner says. The garage also has a dog wash.
There’s room on the second floor for an apartment in the future. The couple plan to age in place here and will designate the room as a caretaker’s home should the need arise.
Andrea grew up in a red barn house. Her 25-year-old son and 90-year-old father removed the eagle weathervane from that home so the couple could top their cupola with it. “Everyone was excited to see it reused, and it really works here,” Gardner says. The garage also has a dog wash.
There’s room on the second floor for an apartment in the future. The couple plan to age in place here and will designate the room as a caretaker’s home should the need arise.
Living Room
The house is all about one-floor, open-plan living — and the wide-open floor plan gives Gardner the more modern look she loves. “It has a warehouse industrial look,” she says. She has a gallery wall of black-and-white photography planned for the wall to the right, which is painted in a subtle lavender gray. They used Benjamin Moore’s White Dove paint throughout most of the house.
A large sectional sofa seats the whole family when kids and grandkids visit. “They are going to have to bury me in this sofa,” Gardner says. “It’s down-filled, velvet and extra-deep, and once I get in it I can’t move!”
Gooseneck sconces: Restoration Hardware
The house is all about one-floor, open-plan living — and the wide-open floor plan gives Gardner the more modern look she loves. “It has a warehouse industrial look,” she says. She has a gallery wall of black-and-white photography planned for the wall to the right, which is painted in a subtle lavender gray. They used Benjamin Moore’s White Dove paint throughout most of the house.
A large sectional sofa seats the whole family when kids and grandkids visit. “They are going to have to bury me in this sofa,” Gardner says. “It’s down-filled, velvet and extra-deep, and once I get in it I can’t move!”
Gooseneck sconces: Restoration Hardware
Floors: Lucy enjoys the floors, which are concrete and have radiant heat. The drapery rods are plumbing fittings, in keeping with the industrial style.
The alcove: The alcove at the end of the living room has a daybed that can serve as an extra sleeping spot. The photo in the alcove is from 1910 and shows farm kids and a teacher in front of a barn. Gardner was drawn to it because her grandmother was a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in West Virginia and the resemblance is uncanny.
Dining table, chairs, chandeliers: Restoration Hardware
The alcove: The alcove at the end of the living room has a daybed that can serve as an extra sleeping spot. The photo in the alcove is from 1910 and shows farm kids and a teacher in front of a barn. Gardner was drawn to it because her grandmother was a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in West Virginia and the resemblance is uncanny.
Dining table, chairs, chandeliers: Restoration Hardware
The kitchen was given a lower ceiling. Although the space is open to the rest of the first floor, “we wanted to make the kitchen feel more nested and cozy,” Gardner says.
Windows: Marvin Integrity
Windows: Marvin Integrity
Kitchen
This pullout drying cart is integrated right into the cabinetry. The backsplash was inspired by vintage ceiling tile.
This pullout drying cart is integrated right into the cabinetry. The backsplash was inspired by vintage ceiling tile.
A large island provides seating so friends and family can visit with the cook. The Toledo stools add a vintage industrial touch.
The utensil wall also brings in the industrial look.
Master Bedroom
The layout and windows in the master bedroom were planned around the big view over the trees to Tomales Bay.
The flooring is cork. “It looks like white Scandinavian pine and the radiant heat travels through it better than it does wood,” Gardner says.
Flooring: WE Cork
The layout and windows in the master bedroom were planned around the big view over the trees to Tomales Bay.
The flooring is cork. “It looks like white Scandinavian pine and the radiant heat travels through it better than it does wood,” Gardner says.
Flooring: WE Cork
Master Bathroom
The couple chose a warm gray paint for the master bathroom walls to play off the colors in the encaustic cement floor tiles. The chandelier is from an antiques store in Atlanta.
Paint: Dragon’s Breath, Benjamin Moore; tile: Granada Tile; see more cement tiles
The couple chose a warm gray paint for the master bathroom walls to play off the colors in the encaustic cement floor tiles. The chandelier is from an antiques store in Atlanta.
Paint: Dragon’s Breath, Benjamin Moore; tile: Granada Tile; see more cement tiles
Guest Room
This guest room has room for adults as well as kids thanks to the built-in bunks. It also has a climbing wall that leads to a loft outfitted with beanbag chairs, crayons and books for visiting grandchildren.
This guest room has room for adults as well as kids thanks to the built-in bunks. It also has a climbing wall that leads to a loft outfitted with beanbag chairs, crayons and books for visiting grandchildren.
Guest Bath
More encaustic tile covers the floor in the guest bath, warming the space and adding a lively pattern.
More encaustic tile covers the floor in the guest bath, warming the space and adding a lively pattern.
Back Deck
The view from the back deck includes the occasional deer. “We wanted to maintain their natural migratory patterns through the property,” Gardner says. Landscape architect skills aside, she decided to leave the scenery alone and enjoy what’s already there, such as California live oaks, California bay laurels, bishop pines, coffeeberry shrubs and ferns. The couple are waiting to see what pops up naturally after the disturbance of construction and go from there.
Find patio furniture
The view from the back deck includes the occasional deer. “We wanted to maintain their natural migratory patterns through the property,” Gardner says. Landscape architect skills aside, she decided to leave the scenery alone and enjoy what’s already there, such as California live oaks, California bay laurels, bishop pines, coffeeberry shrubs and ferns. The couple are waiting to see what pops up naturally after the disturbance of construction and go from there.
Find patio furniture
His Office (aka Tool Shed)
To the right is the outdoor shower. To the left is the “tool shed,” actually the office of Gardner’s husband.
To the right is the outdoor shower. To the left is the “tool shed,” actually the office of Gardner’s husband.
It has its own porch, which enjoys the views that drew the couple to the site.
Knotty pine and a cozy wood stove make for an appealing workspace.
He got to go full-on rustic cabin with the shed. The desk is crafted from a tree that had to be felled during construction (a bishop pine sacrificed for the septic field). The wood was also used to make benches on the deck and a countertop in the laundry room.
Though her husband is already living in the home full time, Gardner is still splitting her time between Northern and Southern California for now. “I drive Zola and Lucy the 430 miles every two weeks and stay half the month,” she says. “I have a Prius and we just make a day of it.” While being apart from her husband has been an adjustment, she consoles herself by watching The Great British Baking Show when she’s alone in the city, and has finished quite a few books on tape during the drives. The couple are happily adjusting to life in the north and plan to stay there forever.
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Though her husband is already living in the home full time, Gardner is still splitting her time between Northern and Southern California for now. “I drive Zola and Lucy the 430 miles every two weeks and stay half the month,” she says. “I have a Prius and we just make a day of it.” While being apart from her husband has been an adjustment, she consoles herself by watching The Great British Baking Show when she’s alone in the city, and has finished quite a few books on tape during the drives. The couple are happily adjusting to life in the north and plan to stay there forever.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes