Whole House | Garage Conversions

Garage Remodel and Whole Home Transformation in Willow Glen

Transitional Willow Glen

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.

Before: Over the years, multiple additions by previous owners left this corner lot home with a fragmented layout. The backyard, positioned beside the garage, felt disconnected from the main living and entertaining areas. The first floor had just one bathroom, serving two bedrooms and all guests during gatherings. With formal living and dining spaces and a two-car garage no longer a priority, there was an opportunity to reallocate space for both public and private needs.  

Next Stage’s Design:  The biggest transformation was converting the garage into a spacious family room and relocating the kitchen to the former family room. A panoramic door and open beam ceiling enhanced the sense of openness the homeowners desired. The living room became a third bedroom with an ensuite bath, creating a private guest retreat. Shifting the entryway to open into the expanded social areas improved flow while giving the bedrooms more privacy. A new powder room and wet bar off the family room added convenience for entertaining. Without expanding the home’s footprint, the redesign reconfigured it from a 3-bedroom, 2-bath layout to a more functional 4-bedroom, 3.5-bath home.

The outdated family room and kitchen faced several major challenges: limited access to the backyard, an awkward step-down into the family room, and a disjointed mix of materials. The plain maple cabinets were paired with cold, noisy tile that abruptly transitioned to beige carpet. Overhead, a boxy fluorescent light fixture above the island gave the space a dated 1980s feel.  

The kitchen was relocated and expanded into the former family room, eliminating the step-down for a seamless, open flow. This transformation allowed more natural light to brighten the space, making way for rich hickory cabinetry and flooring that captured the “island” aesthetic the homeowners wanted. A larger, more functional island was designed to enhance prep space and make entertaining effortless.

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After

The garage was mainly used for storage, not parking, making it the perfect spot for a new family room. However, bringing the client’s vision to life required creative design and significant structural updates.  

The transformed family room features a panoramic door to the backyard and an open beam ceiling for a spacious feel. Structural upgrades included removing trusses, adding a new ridge beam for support, and re-engineering the pano door wall to handle the wide span. A powder room and wet bar were strategically placed along a key wall to enhance both function and structural integrity.

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The Wet Bar A Seamless Transition

The new wet bar serves as both a focal point and a seamless transition between the family room and kitchen. Louvered hickory cabinet doors extend the kitchen’s island-inspired aesthetic, while a bold tropical foliage tile backsplash adds a vibrant, resort-like touch.

A Beautiful Indoor-outdoor Space Hawaiian lifestyle

The new panoramic door creates a seamless indoor-outdoor flow, capturing the relaxed Hawaiian lifestyle the clients envisioned. Overhead heaters were installed above the opening for year-round comfort, while extensive outdoor lighting highlights the deck and home’s perimeter, enhancing both ambiance and functionality.

The previous family room felt small and closed off, with three walls and a step-down from the kitchen. A single patio door to the side yard provided the only natural light, making the yellow walls feel even more saturated. The outdated kitchen had a cramped island, short upper cabinets, and limited storage, while small appliances cluttered the white tile countertops. Prep space was inadequate for both daily use and entertaining, and lighting was limited to a single boxed ceiling fixture.  

Moving the kitchen to the former family room expanded its layout and created direct backyard access. A new window over the sink brought in more natural light, while a larger island added storage, seating, and ample prep space. The design blends rich textures inspired by the Hawaiian islands, featuring custom hickory cabinets, antique-finished black pearl granite countertops, mottled green ceramic subway tile, and Capiz shell pendants for a warm, inviting glow.

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Spacious, Semi-formal Dining Area Seamless Connection Between Kitchen and Dining Room

The former kitchen footprint now serves as a spacious, semi-formal dining area that seamlessly connects the new kitchen and family room. The original bay window was kept in the family room to maintain natural light, while the hickory cabinet finish was carried through in the stained ceiling beams for a cohesive look. Woven shades add texture and enhance the island-inspired aesthetic.

The kitchen was accessed through a narrow opening that led directly into a small dining room. The main entry was far from the home’s activity areas, making the space feel closed off and cramped. The living room, positioned immediately off the entry, was isolated from the kitchen and family room and seldom used.  

The entry was moved to open directly into the heart of the home—the new kitchen and dining area. The former entry, living room, and dining spaces were repurposed into a laundry room and ensuite guest room, creating privacy while enhancing the flow of the home’s social spaces.

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Meet the Team
Joy Allen
Design Supervisor
Patricia Metis
Project Developer, CR
Paul Delgros
Project Manager
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Preparation is key to a successful kitchen remodel. There are many budget, design, and planning decisions to make during the process. Join us at one of our free remodeling events to learn more about what you need to know before embarking on your remodeling project.
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