Custom pull out book shelf makes easy work of keeping recipe books handy but out of the way. Jon Encarnacion-photographer
Mid-sized trendy u-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Inspiration for a contemporary patio remodel in Orange County

After picture of living room expansion and remodel
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept light wood floor and gray floor living room remodel in San Diego with a music area, gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a media wall

Jon Encarnacion
Bedroom - mid-sized contemporary master medium tone wood floor bedroom idea in Los Angeles with gray walls and no fireplace

Jon Encarnacion
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized contemporary u-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

After picture of living room expansion and remodel
Large trendy open concept light wood floor and gray floor living room photo in San Diego with a music area, gray walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a media wall

Custom dog bowl enclosure with plexiglass cover, Keeps the dog bowls from being in the foot path and plexiglass keeps the cabinet finish intact. Jon Encarnacion -photographer

Master Bedroom retreat in soft gray, taupe, brown and white . Jon Encarnacion-photographer Jon Encarnacion-photographer
Bedroom - mid-sized contemporary master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom idea in Los Angeles with gray walls and no fireplace

Jon Encarnacion
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1950s master medium tone wood floor bedroom remodel in Los Angeles with gray walls and no fireplace

Jon Encarnacion photographer
Example of a mid-sized 1960s backyard stone patio fountain design in Los Angeles with no cover

Jon Encarnacion
Example of a mid-sized trendy master medium tone wood floor bedroom design in Los Angeles with gray walls and no fireplace

Example of a dining room design in Philadelphia

After photo of smaller upstairs master ensuite bedroom F8 Photography
Example of a mid-sized trendy master light wood floor and gray floor bedroom design in San Diego with gray walls and no fireplace

Set on a narrow hillside lot overlooking the San Francisco Bay in Point Richmond, California, Bay Heirloom is a Mid-Century Modern family home restored, modernized and adapted for contemporary living. Oriented south-southwest toward the Marin Headlands, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the residence captures shifting Bay light throughout the day, from fog-muted mornings to vivid, glowing sunsets. The home was built by Karlyn Neel’s grandfather, the owner of the construction company Flo-Crete, one of the Bay Area’s early concrete pumping firms. Flo-Crete completed the foundation and structural concrete work, with family photographs documenting the original cinderblock walls and pours. The firm also contributed to major regional infrastructure projects, including the Transbay BART tube and Candlestick Park, situating the house within a broader legacy of Bay Area construction. Growing up, Neel spent considerable time in the home, developing an early appreciation for mid-century modern principles. Instead of parting with this family heirloom, she purchased the home from her grandfather’s estate. While her grandfather continued to live in the Point Richmond house, Neel purchased a Mid-Century Modern residence in Palm Desert. In contrast to the Bay Area’s cool temperatures, salt air, and persistent winds, the desert home is shaped by heat and sun and requires a different material response. A substantial renovation she led there emphasized thermal performance, filtered light, and restrained detailing. The experience later informed the restoration of her Bay Area family home. What began as a modest Mid-Century Modern update expanded when decades of exposure to marine conditions revealed leaks and significant structural and seismic deficiencies. Neel was determined to honor her grandfather’s perseverance and without hesitation pivoted to a much more intensive project. Addressing these challenges required close coordination between Neel, Klopf Architecture and Kasten Builders, with architectural restraint and construction precision guiding each intervention. Rather than alter the home’s defining features, the project focused on reinforcing the structure from within. Discreet beams were embedded along the rear facade and in an upstairs wall, strengthening the building while maximizing the wall of glass facing the Bay and opening the wall between the kitchen and the living space. These structural interventions allowed the space to open fully to the Bay without visual interruption, with the kitchen repositioned as the social and functional core of an open, continuous living space. The building envelope was updated using weather- and corrosion-resistant materials appropriate to the marine environment. The house unfolds vertically from the street, beginning with a modest garage level and workshop, with the main living spaces located below. Original slate flooring at the entry was preserved, along with select furnishings and artwork collected by Neel’s grandfather, anchoring the restored interior in its past. A restrained palette of black accents and pale, natural finishes replaces darker wood tones, reinforcing openness and calm. A naturally illuminated stair connects to the lowest level, where a former basement was transformed into a guest suite and family room opening onto a deck. From there, steps lead directly to a small concrete boat ramp at the water’s edge. Throughout the project, decisions were guided by continuity rather than transformation for its own sake. Lessons drawn from both desert and coastal climates informed a material strategy rooted in performance and restraint. Bay Heirloom stands as a measured evolution of a family house, structurally renewed and carefully modernized, grounded in the discipline and care that first shaped it. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Angela Todorova and Fernanda Bernardes Landscape Architect: Huettl Landscape Architecture General Contractor: Kasten Builders Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2022 Location: Point Richmond, CA

Guest bathroom keeps the gray theme going but enriched with the deep bronze textured cabinets and horizontal mosaic tile detailing.
Example of a small trendy 3/4 gray tile and pebble tile ceramic tile corner shower design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, a one-piece toilet and gray walls

Built in dog bowls keep the kitchen looking neat and not underfoot.
Mid-sized trendy u-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen photo in Los Angeles with an island, flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, marble countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an undermount sink

Jon Encarnacion-photographer
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary master medium tone wood floor bedroom remodel in Los Angeles with gray walls and no fireplace

Jon Encarnacion
Mid-sized trendy master medium tone wood floor bedroom photo in Los Angeles with gray walls and no fireplace

Our energetic client came to us with a design challenge – take a broken-up layout, make it flow, and add a French flair. And, it was imperative that we maximize storage and make the whole space kid and dog friendly. This interior design project was a true collaboration. When we began, the kitchen and the dining room were completely separate spaces. Our down2earth interior design team proposed layouts that ranged from modest interventions (retaining the wall that divided the dining room and kitchen), to moderate interventions that left a partial wall in place, to major realignments that opened the space wide up. By creating design drawings for these different levels of intervention, the homeowners were able to view the pros and cons and price the different options. Happily, after having engineers verify that it was doable, they chose a wide open layout, which allows these party people to have a fabulous entertaining space. Once the layouts for the kitchen and dining room were established, it was time to collaborate with the builder on lighting placement and with the woodworker to get all the little details right, such as dog dishes in the blue island and specialized storage at the perimeter. The wood fumehood was part of the homeowners’ original vision and is the focal point of the back wall. The brass and glass shelves over the bar cabinets were sourced by the homeowners as well, and we worked within the company’s offerings to get the proportions just right. A brass bar was added to the toe-kick area of the custom designed breakfast nook to match the brass bar shelf brackets and support little feet. Lighting, furniture, upholstered bench cushions, and drapery all soften the space and provide that desired French flair. Counter tops are super white leather granite.