Remodel, Basement ADU, Excavation
New phases call for new spaces. When our clients in the Berkeley Hills shifted from raising young children to a retirement of entertaining out-of-town family and friends, we showed up with a crane, a Bobcat and a plan to reconfigure the heart of the house. The dark warren that was the basement had served them well enough when their family was growing, but to welcome visitors, they wanted to convert the space into an inviting ADU. At the front of the house, two bedrooms and a bathroom remain, while the rest of the space became the new ADU kitchen and open family room. While an interior entry allows shared use of the laundry facilities, a separate ADU entrance from the outdoors provides guests complete independence, if desired. A renovated central stair connects the lower level with the rest of the house, where we updated the kitchen, and added a primary bathroom. Re-using original paneling for a cozy eating nook and redesigning the fireplace surround in the style of the house preserved the character of the traditional Craftsman, while the new staircase, outdoor access and colorful finishes give the whole house a new, lighter and brighter look to welcome family and friends.
When you’ve already craned a Bobcat up to the top of a hill, inspiration can strike. With the excavator on hand, the homeowner decided to go full bore and expand the excavation across the full footprint of the home, digging all the way back into the hillside. The new below-ground space provides both storage and a private workshop, tucked behind a door disguised as a bookcase. When we joked that the hidden entry would be perfect for a speakeasy, the owner decided to take us up on it and added a bar to the secret retreat—with the promise that he will hold off on the whiskey until after the power tools were put away!
Contractor: Madrone Builders
Photography: Mo Saito
Cabinetry: John Ewer with Dimensions Unlimited
