The grandchildren changed everything for a retired Atherton couple with a second home and grown children in Marin. As the family started to expand, the homeowners decided it was time to update their 1960s-era weekend home on the Belvedere Lagoon to serve as a gathering place for making new memories together, from baby showers to birthday parties.
Kimberly Oxford, principal at Sausalito-based Kimberly Oxford Interiors, helped the couple transform the four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom 2,700-square-foot home, which was in original condition, into a warm, inviting family retreat while preserving the spirit of the original architecture. “Overall, our goal was not to add square footage; it was to keep this bungalow intact, in its original midcentury form, so that the house could just evolve versus being demolished and starting from scratch,” she says.
The team, which included Hackman Construction and Alexis Woods Landscape Design, certainly had their work cut out for them. “The home was originally published in House & Garden in 1966, and it was like a time capsule,” Oxford recalls. “Essentially, nothing had been changed in 65 years.” Bringing the home up to present-day standards required upgrading the entire infrastructure with new plumbing, electrical, windows, doors, insulation, HVAC system and sprinklers — all ensuring it would endure for decades to come.
When it came time to configure the spaces, Oxford and the team made several key changes. First, they incorporated an ADU containing a bedroom and bathroom into the rest of the house by extending the front façade 4 feet to create a connecting hallway.
Next up for a remake was the kitchen, which was originally Y-shaped and open only on one side. The team opened up the entire space to capture the views, keeping only one structural column in place. “The homeowners wanted a visual out to the lagoon because it’s so beautiful, and so they could keep an eye on all the kids using the paddleboards and the kayaks,” Oxford says.
In addition, the team added awning windows; all new appliances; and functional storage, including a coffee station with pocketing doors concealed within the cabinetry. The tambour paneling-clad island is outfitted with a sink and an elevated waterfall-edge bar crafted from Taj Mahal quartzite procured from Da Vinci Marble. “Every one of the pieces of tambour at the bottom opens up for storage,” Oxford says.
All three bathrooms also got an overhaul. The primary bathroom, for example, was formerly tiled floor-to-ceiling in pink marble and dominated by an oversize bathtub, leaving room for only a tiny, cramped shower and single vanity. Oxford reconfigured the space to encompass an enclosed water closet, double vanity, linen closet and full-size shower. “We didn’t even change the square footage — by just reworking the space, we were able to create a livable bathroom that works for 2026.”
The final major move the team made was to re-envision the home’s outdoor pergola system, which was originally usable only in the summer months. “It can be a little frigid at times on the lagoon when the coastal wind comes in, so we decided to put a roof on it,” Oxford says. With new gas heaters installed in the ceiling and expansive glass sliding doors — in addition to a TV, barbecue, custom storage for water toys, and furniture for eating and lounging — the homeowners can use the space year-round.
Featuring a palette rooted in soft oak, muted tones and natural textures punctuated by colorful accents, the home’s furnishings and finishes look and feel elevated, yet every element is designed to be durable and functional. “The homeowners want to be a part of their kids’ and grandkids’ lives, hosting sleepovers and doing fun activities together,” Oxford says. “Even though the furnishings are very high end, it’s such a livable home where everyone feels welcome.”
Details
Where: Belvedere
What: 1960s-era, four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bathroom, 2,700-square-foot home renovation
Interior design: Kimberly Oxford Interiors
Construction: Hackman Construction
Landscape design: Alexis Woods Landscape Design
Lotus Abrams has covered everything from beauty to business to tech in her editorial career, but it might be writing about her native Bay Area that inspires her most. She lives with her husband and two daughters in the San Francisco Peninsula, where they enjoy spending time outdoors at the area’s many open spaces protected and preserved by her favorite local nonprofit, the Peninsula Open Space Trust.
