ORINDA RESIDENCE

A HILLSIDE HOME FOR FAMILY LIFE OUTDOORS

For an active family of four, the challenge at this Orinda home was not simply adding more space. Set on a steep, oak-covered hillside, the existing house offered limited connections to the landscape. The family envisioned a home better suited to everyday life outdoors, from cooking and gathering with friends to pool parties and afternoons on the lawn.

Tierney Conner approached the renovation and addition by treating the hillside as an opportunity rather than a constraint. A reworked roofline brings more natural light into the main living spaces and opens views into the native oak canopy. Across three levels, seven connections to the outdoors link the kitchen, family spaces, pool, lawn, and gathering areas. An open, floating staircase adds visual lightness while connecting the interior levels.

The result is a warm, light-filled home where the landscape shapes daily life, and moving between indoor and outdoor spaces feels effortless.

Modern kitchen in the Orinda house renovation with walnut island, marble countertop, black leather barstools, and glass-front cabinetry in the East Bay, San Francisco
Native oak landscape and outdoor living areas surrounding a modern Orinda house renovation in the East Bay.
Floor-to-ceiling windows connect this Bay Area home interior to the surrounding native oak canopy in Orinda.
Modern deck and exterior integrated into the sloping site of an East Bay house renovation by Tierney Conner.
Outdoor deck connected directly to the family room of an Orinda home designed for indoor-outdoor living.
Double-island kitchen opening to indoor and outdoor living spaces in a modern Bay Area family home by Tierney Conner.
Light-filled Orinda kitchen with island and informal dining area designed for everyday family gathering.
Modern family room in an East Bay home with floor-to-ceiling windows, fireplace, and views into the native oak canopy.
Custom floating staircase connecting three levels of an Orinda hillside house renovation by Tierney Conner.
Modern staircase with glass railing preserving natural light and sightlines between levels of a Bay Area hillside home.
Custom floating staircase and glass railing in a modern East Bay residential renovation by Tierney Conner.
Floating staircase allowing natural light to move vertically through the multilevel Orinda home.
Modern Bay Area living room with warm materials and views toward the wooded East Bay landscape.
Modern kitchen pantry with integrated cabinetry and concealed storage in an Orinda house renovation.
Modern East Bay kitchen with dark cabinetry, warm wood details, and a material palette connected to the architecture.
Outdoor deck in Orinda home in the East Bay designed for California indoor-outdoor living
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Concealed pantry cabinetry in the Orinda house renovation, designed as a streamlined extension of the modern kitchen.
Hidden coffee station revealed behind custom cabinetry in the kitchen of this Orinda, California house renovation.
Custom coffee station and pantry with open shelving and integrated appliances in a modern East Bay kitchen by Tierney Conner.
Integrated refrigerator and dark custom cabinetry create a continuous wall in the modern kitchen of this Orinda house renovation.
Compact workspace integrated into custom kitchen cabinetry in a modern Bay Area family home renovated by Tierney Conner.
An Orinda living room with fireplace with floor to ceilng windows to have the hillside landscape, with seating arranged to take advantage of indoor-outdoor views
Modern Orinda living room oriented toward the wooded East Bay landscape, with seating, swivel chair, arranged to take advantage of indoor-outdoor views
Family room with dog floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the wooded East Bay hillside at the Orinda Residence.
Family room with large sectional and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking trees on the hillside of the East Bay at the Orinda Residence.
Family room with large sectional and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the wooded East Bay hillside at the Orinda Residence.
Exterior of the three-level Orinda hillside house renovation by Tierney Conner, designed to connect the home more directly to its sloping site.
Backyard lawn and outdoor living areas connected directly to an Orinda family home designed for play, gathering, and an active outdoor lifestyle.
Modern East Bay hillside home addition nestled among mature native oak trees in Orinda, California.
Bay Area house renovation stepping down a wooded Orinda hillside and integrating the architecture with the mature native oak grove.
Swimming pool and outdoor living area connected to a three-level Orinda house renovation designed for active family life and entertaining.

  • Location: Orinda, California

    Completion Date: 2022

    Case Study:

    Designing with the Hillside ‍

  • Project Type : Whole-Home Renovation + Addition

    Building Type : Single-Family Residence

    Size : 984 sq. ft. additions + 3,195 sq. renovation

    Style : Contemporary

    Services : Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Design, Lighting Design

    Specializations : Hillside Design, Indoor-Outdoor Living, Integrated Architecture + Interiors + Landscape, Custom Residential Design

  • J. Conner, Erin Conner, Anne Tierney, Christina Flores, Elaine Fisher, Kristina Fisher

  • General Contractor: BuildGroup Structural Engineer: Advanced Engineering Interior Design: Tierney Conner & Owner Lighting Design: Tierney Conner Landscape Design: Form Landscape Design & Tierney Conner

    Photographer: Adam Potts

  • Diablo Magazine – Spring 2023

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