MARIN RENOVATION

In Kentfield, French Country, mid-century modern, and more exuberant decorative styles competed for attention in a home that had lost its cohesive identity. The clients, a couple with three teenagers, wanted a bright, contemporary home grounded in warmth and inspired by their travels through Africa, India, and Asia, without turning those influences into a literal theme.

A unified material palette brought the house into focus. Rustic oak floors and Benjamin Moore White Dove walls create continuity, while the original wood ceiling anchors the living room and sets a warm tone throughout. New Fleetwood windows and multi-fold doors replace the former French sliders, opening the living spaces to the Northern California hillside. In the kitchen, an extended island creates a natural gathering place for family and friends.

When Tierney Conner joined the family for a dinner party after the renovation, guests kept saying the house felt like somewhere else. Not a different country, but a different state of mind. With connected indoor and outdoor spaces, the home offers the feeling of a getaway without ever leaving Marin.