Built in 1937 for a family’s summer getaways, this cottage originally had only 1 bedroom, 1 bath and 960 square feet to its title. The recent homeowners loved the rustic ambience but wanted an open space that could take whole advantage of the creek and woods views. The couple hired architect Amy Alper to build a brand new, contemporary addition that would capture the existing house’s historical feel.
in a Glance
Who lives here: This is a vacation home for a San Francisco couple.
Location: Calistoga, California
Size: 1,275 square feet; 3 bedrooms, two baths
Amy A. Alper
Regulations limited Alper to building only on land that had already been influenced by the original structure. The brand new glass-enclosed living room now sits in the outline of a once-underused deck. Alper used steel to cantilever the addition, with steel posts set down precisely where the deck wooden legs had been.
Redwood decking and two period windows in the demolition were reused in the addition.
Amy A. Alper, Architect
When the owners saw the home, current renovations had made it like the original cabin and more like a home. Alper carefully integrated the best of both attributes to the remodel. Each of the brand new siding and trim on the outside matches the existing colors.
Though the 4-acre property feels really isolated, the cottage is only 20 minutes from town. The homeowners planted several Japanese pine trees, however, the natural surroundings make additional landscaping unnecessary.
Amy A. Alper
A sleeping loft was shut in for one bedroom, and the previous courtyard-facing living area turned into another bedroom. The kitchen, enclosed in the original exterior that once confronted the deck, opens to the living area via sliding windows. “The layout for the addition was about the marriage of old and new, context and comparison,” says Alper.
Couch: Milano
Amy A. Alper
Expansive windows link the indoors and out, and allow the creek to become the most important focus.
A propane-burning stove, which replaces the initial wood-burning one, provides ample warmth for the small space. Its hearth is a piece of flagstone that the owners used in their garden for several decades.
Amy A. Alper, Architect
The original intact exterior, now enclosing the kitchen, offers character and texture. These original shingles have been just cleaned. The group reused any shingles that had to be eliminated. Reclaimed wood ceiling beams out of Heritage Salvage create a place for concealed uplighting.
Artwork: “The Culvert,” by James Arendt
Amy A. Alper
The easy kitchen is for the most part original to your home. The homeowners upgraded the appliances painted the cabinetry and additional new hardware but retained the wood countertops. The stovetop is just around the corner in the refrigerator.
Amy A. Alper
Even though the homeowners disagree on fashions — with one leaning toward contemporary and the other toward conventional — their desire to unite the old and the new helped them combine their styles. The kitchen’s new link to the living room makes it better suited for entertaining.
Cabinetry paint: Yellow Barn, Glidden
Amy A. Alper
Custom storage beneath the staircase takes advantage of a formerly open and unused area.
Amy A. Alper
The owners had the master bath completely redone. A teak-lined shower floor, a timber vanity and reclaimed beams contribute to the contemporary cottage vibe, supplying a fresh contrast to the white Heath Ceramics tile.
Amy A. Alper
This bedroom has been nestled upstairs in the prior sleeping loft. The house’s original owners built the cottage as a very basic part of their creekside summer getaway. Most of the visitors slept outside on cots, or so the cabin itself actually served just as a kitchen.
Amy A. Alper, Architect
Ikea storage bins screwed to the wall studs behave as nightstands within this guest bedroom. The pendant lights are miniature reproductions of prewar British lighting.
Builder: Marshall WhiteConstruction