Enlarging a Home on a Tight Lot

Berkeley, CA

Primary bathroom vanity with warm walnut cabinetry, two sinks, marble countertop, and vertical wall sconces, designed to support shared use while bringing light and warmth into the space.
Interior staircase connecting new bedrooms and bathroom, featuring wood treads, metal railing, and overhead skylight that brightens the compact circulation space with daylight.
Open dining and kitchen area with built in walnut cabinetry, large peninsula, and expanded windows, creating a bright and flexible gathering space that makes the smaller home feel larger.
Remodeled kitchen with custom walnut cabinets by Levitch, white upper cabinetry, and a large island that adds storage and workspace while maintaining a clean and light-filled interior.
Kitchen detail showing integrated refrigerator, wall ovens, and custom walnut storage that maximizes function and supports the needs of a multigenerational household.
Walk-in shower with glass enclosure, built-in bench, and pebble tile floor, designed for comfort and accessibility for family members of all ages in the new bathroom addition.

Enlarging a Home on a Tight Lot

Berkeley, CA

  • Year Built: 2023

    Creative light-filled multilevel Bedroom/Bathroom home addition that offers more family space while maintaining privacy on a compact urban lot. This is a small property that now lives much larger.

    • The Owners, who have a multigenerational household, needed more space for their family. Their existing home on a 3,500 SF lot was already closer to one property line than would generally be allowed under current standards. Because of the addition, this project required an Administrative Use Permit (AUP) from the City.

    • The design solution includes three new Bedrooms, one of which connects to a new deck, and a Bathroom via a split-level addition at the back of the home that steps down to a single story addition. The new Bathroom has features two sinks and a separate toilet compartment that allow multiple people to use it simultaneously if needed. The shower also has a bench for family members of all ages.

    • Transoms (windows above doors) and clerestories (windows at the tops of walls) flood the home with natural light while maintaining privacy.

    • We also remodeled the Kitchen, which features much more storage in the form of Walnut wood cabinets built by Levitch.

    Photography by Treve Johnson

  • See how things looked before we started, below.

  • Working Relationship throughout Design/Build Process

    We felt fortunate to have worked with Maurice as we took the entire design build journey of our new addition and a kitchen remodel. We’d met with several architects/contractors beforehand but correctly felt we would have a working long-term relationship with Maurice. Furthermore, all of the designers, builders, and external contractors were easy to work with and we would not hesitate to recommend.

    P. O. + C. C.

Process

Exterior view of the new upper level deck under construction, with workers installing a modern metal railing. The deck connects to a new bedroom and expands outdoor living on the compact urban lot.
Custom horizontal wood gate installed between existing structures. The new gate improves privacy and access while matching the warm wood tones and scale of the renovated home.
Interior stair hall during construction showing newly installed wood stair treads and metal railing components. Natural light enters through clerestory windows above the split level circulation space.
Interior view during construction showing a grid of newly installed Marvin windows and clerestory openings. The unfinished window wall brings abundant daylight into the split level addition while preserving privacy.
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