Breathing Space

A cottage helps a busy California family expand their living quarters.

Story by Stacy Durr Albert Photos by Matthew Millman If you have a large family, chances are you’ve thought about finding a way to carve out more space in your home. After all, there’s no such thing as having too much storage or living space when you’re dealing with a bigger household. A home renovation or extension is often the solution, but one California family took it a step further: They decided to build a secondary structure on their existing property in Woodside. “This family of five needed an accessory building, which could be used alternately and concurrently as an au-pair living space, a guest house and a parental retreat from the chaos of the main house,” explains architect Heidi Richardson of Richardson Architects in Mill Valley. Little Gem While the family originally designed the cottage to be used as a guesthouse in the front and an au-pair unit in the back, they ended up devoting the entire cottage to guests since they have so many visiting family and friends. They also use the cottage as a quiet office space when visitors aren’t around. A quick glance at the cottage reveals why visitors are so enamored with it from the moment they see it. Set on just over six acres on the San Francisco Peninsula, the cottage oozes with a sense of comfort and an inviting come-on-in ambiance. “The location was incredibly appealing to the homeowners,” Richardson says. “It’s very private and close to the husband’s workplace.” The site already had a main residence, barn and pool house with an attached garage. “The plot size appealed to the owners because they wanted a space large enough to raise animals—they have pigs, horses, dogs and chickens.” Creating a floor plan for the cottage they envisioned was a little challenging for the homeowners because of local zoning laws, which dictated that secondary structures could be no larger than 1,500 square feet and that ceiling heights must no higher than 11 feet. The family asked Richardson to help them design a functional floor plan that would work within these parameters. Living Large—and Small “There are a number of things you can do when you have a limited square footage,” Richardson says. “You can increase the scale of the doors and windows to create the illusion of more space, and you can use built-ins and a sense of volume to maximize the footprint. You can also minimize furnishings and the number of materials for a clean, timeless look.” The resulting floor plan certainly makes the cottage feel larger than it really is—though it measures just 1,500 square feet, a combination of clever architectural details and smart décor visually enlarges the space. The symmetrical plan features four bedrooms, two full baths, one 3/4 bath, a living room, a study and a kitchen. “We oriented the cottage toward the swimming pool with the sliding doors opening up onto the pool and lawn,” Richardson explains. One of the home’s most dramatic features is the custom beadboard that is used throughout the interior. “It’s the most remarkable aspect of the home,” Richardson says. The material was specially milled to make deeper grooves than typical paneling, and was used everywhere, including for the built-ins. “The tongue and grooves of the beadboard are aligned from floor to ceiling, which is extremely difficult to do,” she says. The door and window casings are flush to the beadboard, and built-in closets and wall units blend in seamlessly. A trick that helps the space feel larger is the incorporation of oversized windows and doors. “The cottage has large sliding doors and over-scaled double-hung windows to connect it to the exterior landscape and gardens.” Smart decorating decisions also enhance the sense of space. Designed by Arnelle Kase, ASID, of Scavullo Design in San Francisco, the cottage is reflective of East Coast seaside dwellings to pay homage to the family’s East Coast roots. “There is also a wittiness to the home,” Richardson says, “a fresh and playful spin.” Textiles and colors used in the cottage feed into the East Coast vernacular. The stripes recall the home’s hallmark beadboard, while the primary color scheme is lighthearted. “For the living room, we mixed and matched a red-and-white standard arm striped sofa with comfortably modern side chairs, pulling the room together with a contemporary blue country rug,” Richardson says. Primary colors also show up in the bedrooms (each is a different color) and in the kitchen. “The owners just love primary colors,” she says. To achieve an updated classic look in the kitchen, the iconic Navy Chair was used in red, which pops against the white beadboard and dark wood floors. Details, Details Special touches are included throughout the home, from the custom cotton braided rug in the living room to the handmade tiles in the bathrooms. In addition, visible hardware is eliminated in the home, thanks to an innovative idea of using the picture shelf as hardware. “The craftsmanship and attention to detail in this home are unmatched,” Richardson says. “The cottage is a modern version of an old cabin or an old house, with an East Coast flair. Visitors find the place charming and peaceful, and they always want to stay longer.” Looking at the home’s cheerful color scheme, inviting fabrics and comfortable layout, it’s easy to see why visitors fall in love—and why it lures in the homeowners when they need a respite from the busyness of their main house just a few yards away.