The vision for this remodel was to open up the interior plan of a conventional suburban tract house  in San Luis Obispo was to feel more like a mid-century modern home. To further this goal, the entire exterior wall of the living room and entry was replaced with glass and a large pivoting door. A low deck was added to extend the floor toward the street and increasing the perceived size of the interior. Capturing the front yard as an outdoor room, increased the size of the house without increasing the conditioned space. A garden wall and large boulders from a nearby quarry were introduced at the street to define the new outdoor room, and a translucent fiberglass screen was introduced at an extended eave to provide interior privacy when desired. The sight lines where developed such that views outward into the garden could be maintained and yet views from the street to the interior were still screened. For more public occasions such as entertaining, the screens may be slid open to fully appreciate a modernist sensibility of a expansive open space flowing indoors and out.

Remodel on a suburban tract house in San Luis Obispo.Photos: © Bruce Tomb; All Rights Reserved