Interior

Eye-Catching Statement Fireplace

Classic Historical San Jose, CA

This Silicon Valley couple envisioned a whole-home remodel with a strong focus on the first floor, aiming to transform their space for both function and style. A key change was converting the attached garage into a spacious family room. Their top priorities included: (1) improving access to the backyard to enhance their love of entertaining, (2) designing a resort-style aesthetic inspired by their passion for all things Hawaiian, and (3) adding a ground-floor guest suite to accommodate visitors and support future aging-in-place needs. The biggest challenge? Creating a seamless flow in a home that had undergone four previous additions.

The fireplace was such an eyesore that the homeowners positioned oversized furniture to partially block it from view upon entering the home. This led to a cluttered layout that made the space feel even smaller and restricted access to the bookshelf and window beside the fireplace. The furniture placement, along with a mirror above the mantel, also limited their options for a wall-mounted TV. Additionally, the fireplace façade was under-scaled for the room, and its quaint Victorian mantel and mirror clashed with the home’s true 1920s character.

The redesigned fireplace now maximizes its 6-foot-wide wall, flanked by a built-in bookcase and bench seat crafted from the same cherry wood as the mantel for a cohesive look. The homeowners worked closely with the designer to create a Craftsman-style tile design, featuring handcrafted ceramic tiles in an earthy colorway that adds warmth and authenticity to the space.

Before
After

The 13’ x 19’ living room lacked sufficient seating and storage. The homeowners wanted to make use of the space on either side of the fireplace to add both, while ensuring the design felt like a natural extension of the new fireplace.

A 3’-5” wide nook beneath the window provided the perfect spot for an 18”-deep bench seat extending from the fireplace. Crafted from the same cherry wood as the mantel, the bench features a lift-up lid for discreet, built-in storage.

Before
After
Fireplace bench Craftsmanship detail

The Craftsman-style detail at the bench front echoes the rectilinear motif used in the tile at the fireplace façade.

Tile detail Regrouting challenges and creative solution

The tile maker recommended a specific grout, though the installer wasn’t familiar with the brand. After installation, subtle color variations appeared in the grout, which the homeowners hoped to adjust. While regrouting posed risks to the handmade tile, the installer offered a creative solution—staining the grout to achieve the perfect shade. This approach proved both effective and satisfying, leaving the homeowners delighted with the final result.

The home’s century-old hardwood floors had yellowed over time and were too worn to be sanded and refinished. The homeowners wanted to replace them with red oak while preserving the herringbone corner design, a detail true to the home’s historic character.
The new flooring features 2-1/4” red oak in a light finish, maintaining the home’s timeless appeal. To enhance the design, the original herringbone corner detail was re-created with a walnut feature strip, adding a refined touch to the space.

Before
After
Meet the Team
Polly Bradbury
Project Developer
Shelly Yoder
Project Designer, UDCP
Tim Kistler
Project Manager
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