A Clean, Modern Look for a Century-old Home

A Great House—with Drawbacks

We bought a lovely place in San Francisco and quickly realized that, despite the fact that it had been remodeled about ten years before, it was really ornate and not really our style. It is a 1926 house that had been redone a couple of times, and there wasn’t enough coherence. In addition, the work that had been done had partially opened up the kitchen, dining room, and living room areas, but had left large sections of wall that still chopped up the space.

A black and white before photo of a living room and dining area with view into the kitchen

In a recent San Francisco remodel, this modern kitchen features white cabinetry, a stainless steel stove and hood, and a blue tile backsplash. A white island countertop sits in the foreground, illuminated by a pendant light above. Lemons and limes add a vibrant touch to the counter.

We are a multi-generational family of five and wanted the kitchen to be fully open to the other spaces, so needed to do structural work in addition to modernizing the design.

A modern kitchen remodel in San Francisco features white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, and a blue tile backsplash. The large refrigerator, sink under the window, and an island with dark drawers complement the light wood flooring, enhancing the bright and airy feel

The house has four stories, and the stairwell was closed in and had doors that blocked light and flow. When you landed on the bottom floor, the rooms there were not very well organized or designed. We didn’t need a total gut, but we really did need some surgical remodeling and a face lift for the bathrooms and bedrooms.

Black and white Before image of remodel of living room and fireplace

A modern living room with a central fireplace. The walls are light-colored, and the floor is wooden. Blue cabinets flank the fireplace, and a wooden shelf above it holds a framed picture and a vase with yellow flowers.

Finding a Professional

We decided to remodel but had heard nightmare stories about getting things done in San Francisco. My husband felt that working with an architect first and then a contractor set up a lot of disconnects between the design and construction. A handful of people had told him about design-build, and we were really attracted to the idea of one firm being all-in and the process being less stressful for us. We looked at a couple of design-build companies, and AT6 hit the sweet spot of high-quality work without being outrageously priced.

A before-and-after comparison of a bathroom renovation. The left side shows a dated bathroom with dark tiles and fixtures. The right side reveals a modern, bright bathroom with white tiles, a wooden vanity, and stylish decor.

COVID started just as we were ready to move into construction, but we were lucky it didn’t become much of an obstacle. We moved out in July 2020, and the shortages, back orders, and high pricing had not come into play yet. AT6 took all the COVID precautions and we had no delays on the project. We moved back in March 2021.

A dated bathroom with dark tiles and fixtures.

A modern bathroom featuring a white bathtub next to a glass shower partition. The walls are tiled in white marble. A recessed shelf above the tub holds two dark bottles and a plant branch. A sleek silver faucet is installed on the tub edge

The Best Kind of Surprises

We were definitely surprised at how uncomplicated the process was. We anticipated finding all kinds of things when they opened up the walls, but it was all pretty clean and went according to the scope. We made minor tweaks here and there, but with Anthony’s phenomenal communication, management, and onsite direction, the project moved along smoothly and quickly. The project was done on time and within budget, which we’ve heard is not the norm in San Francisco.

We constantly sing AT6’s praises and have sent many people their way. Their communication and work were so spot-on. I think we got more than we paid for!

A Beautiful “new” Home

The remodel is very clean and modern. I like that it feels clean and warm at the same time, not over-the-top in any way. The kitchen backsplash—a Mediterranean-blue tile called Fez—is my favorite element; it makes me happy every time I look at it.

Modern kitchen with a stainless steel range and hood, surrounded by blue textured tiles. White cabinets and countertops contrast with the blue accents. A pendant light hangs above, with lemons and limes adding a touch of color

Close-up of a wall displaying rectangular blue tiles in varying shades. Adjacent is a white surface, creating a contrast with the tile pattern.

The stairwell is opened up now, with airy railings that allow light to filter into each level and from the top floor to the bottom. AT6 reorganized the downstairs so the rooms all make sense, with a much better connection to the outdoors. Everything is lighter, flows better, and the house feels much more cohesive.

Before and after comparison of staircase: left image shows a dimly lit stairway with dated design, right image displays a modernized staircase with wooden handrails and sleek metal balusters.

We were hoping to get a place that we could continue to grow in, would be better for entertaining, and would make more sense spatially than what we started with. We’ve been so happy with the outcome, which is so different from what many people we know have experienced with their remodels. We constantly sing AT6’s praises and have sent many people their way. Their communication and work were so spot-on. I think we got more than we paid for!