photo: Jared Richard
Inspiration for a transitional medium tone wood floor bedroom remodel in Los Angeles with white walls

William Waldron
Mid-sized 1960s porcelain tile and beige floor hallway photo in New York with white walls

A detail shot capturing the inset custom cabinetry finished in Truly Taupe, the unlaquered brass hardware, and the reclaimed wood top. Crown Point Cabinetry

Open kitchen with white laminate cabinets Calcatta Manhattan Polar Stone used on the island and waterfall edges Design by Christie May with Rockwell Interiors

Eron Rauch
Eclectic light wood floor living room photo in Los Angeles with gray walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern courtyard concrete patio remodel in San Diego with a fire pit

Example of a large classic u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen design in New Orleans with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island and white backsplash

Another angle of the sink wall, also capturing a corner of the reclaimed wood island top. Cabinetry is finished in Truly Taupe. Hardware is un-laquered brass. Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry

A large, striking urn was placed as the focal point in the front with the walkway circumventing it in a semi-formal geometric arrangement. Stepstone pavers were set in decomposed granite in a loose and random pattern for the pathway.

Custom Walnut Kitchen by Inplace Studio
Inspiration for a large 1950s l-shaped porcelain tile eat-in kitchen remodel in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

This mid-century entryway is a story of contrast. The polished concrete floor and textured rug underpin geometric foil wallpaper. The focal point is a dramatic staircase, where substantial walnut treads contrast the fine steel railing.

Adam Milton
Eat-in kitchen - contemporary l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, matchstick tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Mid-sized eclectic u-shaped eat-in kitchen photo in Los Angeles with medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, cement tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

An interior shot of a custom cabinet with bifold doors. Photo by Crown Point Cabinetry
Inspiration for a farmhouse u-shaped light wood floor kitchen remodel in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Rosemary Fletcher
Elegant backyard patio photo in Boston with no cover

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom remodel in Austin with white walls and no fireplace

This Zen Garden is a play on textures and shapes all combined to create harmony and peace. The quiet color palette adds to the ease and restfulness making this space a comfortable space to recharge or casually entertain.

Custom Walnut Kitchen by Inplace Studio
Example of a large 1960s l-shaped porcelain tile eat-in kitchen design in San Diego with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, marble countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

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