Houzz Tour: Architect Digs Down to Expand a Compact Home

“After” photos by John Merkl; photo styling by Yedda Morrison

House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two kids
Location: Lower Haight neighborhood of San Francisco
Size: 2,623 square feet (244 square meters); four bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designers: John Lum Architecture (architecture), Mansfield + O’Neil (interior design) and Beth Mullins of Growsgreen Landscape Design (landscape architecture)
Builder: Christopher Gate Construction

The main level of the house contained 1,217 square feet of living space. It had two bedrooms and one bathroom. The lower level was unfinished and included the garage. And the home wasn’t taking advantage of one of its greatest assets: the south-facing back facade and backyard.

“These clients were knowledgeable about design and had great ideas. Because they have bold style and kept their minds open, they were really fun to work with,” Lum says. He and the homeowners used Houzz images for inspiration and to share ideas. Interior designer Lisa O’Neil helped them with the furnishings and lighting and custom-designed built-ins to save space and enhance the design. She also notes that they had great ideas for colors and in particular loved aloe green and black mixed with light creams and other natural tones.

Find a local architect on Houzz

Before: Lum preserved the front facade of the historic home but had more freedom to play around with the style of the back facade. A later kitchen addition ran along the back of the house. A deck and exterior stairs off the addition provided access to the sunny backyard, but it wasn’t very inviting.

After: Lum finished the lower level and outfitted it with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a laundry room, a wine room, ample closets, a mudroom off the garage and built-in storage. The room along the back of the house is the couple’s bedroom. Located just off it on the patio is a large spa. On the left side, the path leads to another exterior door off the laundry room.

The neighborhood inspired the style of the back facade. “The Haight didn’t burn after the 1906 earthquake, so the houses here are older. And it’s also very urban and slightly industrial,” Lum says. A lounge area on the patio and an upper deck off the kitchen allow the family to make the most of nice weather. Placing the staircase off to the right side keeps the view and access from the bedroom to the yard unobstructed.

Work with a landscape designer

Before: “My clients had a lot of cool midcentury modern pieces. We wanted to find a way to work in their style while keeping the original soul and charm of the Victorian house alive,” Lum says. He brought some of that soul back by restoring the home’s original central hallway, which had been taken out during a previous renovation. “You basically walked into a wall after you walked in the front door,” he says. That renovation had created an awkward flow throughout this level.

The home’s two bedrooms were located down one side of the house, where the crib can be seen here. That room is now an office-guest room. The other side had a classic Victorian double parlor setup, with the living room at the front of the house and the dining room behind it. The later addition on the back contained the kitchen and a compact family room alcove.

Because the original central hallway had been filled in, there was an odd circulation pattern through the home. For example, the couple had to either walk through the front bedroom, the dining room or the home’s one bathroom to access their bedroom.

Before: Lum got rid of the awkward closet on the left when restoring the central hallway. This helped create a logical circulation with an easy flow. A new stairway to the finished lower level is located off the left side of the dining room.

After: The new dining room is bold and bright. A graphic wallpaper gives it a playful vibe. The new flooring throughout the house is white oak brushed with a custom matte finish.

Flooring: Carlisle

Browse dining tables in the Houzz Shop

Before: This tight family room alcove was located along the back of the house and was open to the kitchen.

Before: “The kitchen had a nice style thanks to a more recent renovation. But it was kind of wonky,” Lum says. “For example, for some reason the floor was 3 inches higher than the rest of the main level, which caused tripping on a daily basis.”

Before: The homeowners’ bedroom was behind the front bedroom and next to the dining room. The only bathroom in the house was located behind it.

After: Lum used some of the space from that back bedroom for the staircase and turned the rest into a fun playroom for the couple’s two young kids. It has two entries. The first is off the central hallway. The second, seen here, has a sliding barn door that allows the couple to keep an eye on the kids while cooking or catching up in the kitchen.

Mansfield + O’Neil designed smart built-ins that provide plenty of space for books, toys and art supplies. The wood is plain sliced white oak.

Casework: West Valley Woodworking

Before: This tight bathroom served the entire house. There was access from the couple’s bedroom and off the kitchen.

After: Now the bathroom is accessible off the central hallway. It’s located between the playroom and the study-guest room. Light colors, a clear glass shower enclosure, a wall-mounted vanity and shelves make the compact bathroom feel more spacious. It serves as both powder room and full bathroom for overnight guests.

After: By digging down, Lum was able to gain 9-foot ceilings on the lower level. At the bottom of the new interior staircase is a mudroom-landing zone that serves the garage entry. White oak shelves, whimsical button-like hooks and a teal backdrop add playful touches to the space. Millwork and paneled doors nod to the Victorian soul of the house.

There’s also a central corridor on this level. In addition to the family’s three bedrooms and two bathrooms, there are two walk-in closets, a laundry room and a wine room down here. Lum concealed a long row of closets and storage space along the central hallway underneath the stairs. Hidden hardware allows the family to simply push on the panels to open them.

The new laundry room offers direct access to the yard. “One way we nodded to the spirit of the Victorian era in a contemporary way throughout the house was through finely crafted woodwork,” Lum says.

Another bold wallpaper and deep teal paint add a playful vibe to one of the kids’ rooms. Mansfield + O’Neil custom-designed thoughtful built-ins to mitigate the room’s narrowness. For example, built-in shelving and dresser drawers take up less room and and have a more streamlined look than freestanding furniture would. Off the hallway, there’s a shared bathroom between this bedroom and the other child’s bedroom.

After: Navigating the planning process was well worth it. Finishing the space under the deck provided an airy bedroom for the homeowners. A wall of doors opens from their bedroom to the patio and spa.

The couple’s bathroom includes a freestanding bathtub and a generous separate shower stall. Hexagonal floor tiles suit their midcentury modern tastes, while a tile with gold bubble-like circles adds a playful touch. There’s also a large window across from the bathtub.