photography by canary grey

Ma (間) is the Japanese concept that could be translated to “the intentional space between”– an idea represented through the balance of emptiness. Within the structure and program of the existing home, this renovation sought to provide more space and flexibility for a young family. The renovation of this 1964 home consisted of three architectural moves:

I. Subtraction: The removal of the existing main-level laundry room eliminated a physical barrier between the kitchen, dining, and living areas. This subtraction transformed a series of compartmentalized rooms into a continuous, interconnected living space, improving circulation, expanding views across the house, and allowing natural light to penetrate deeper into the interior while preserving the character of the original structure.

II. Infill: A new mudroom occupies the former dog-trot breezeway between the house and detached garage. Conceived as a transitional “link,” this addition mediates between indoors and outdoors while clearly expressing the primary entry sequence. More than an enclosed passage, the intervention establishes a spatial threshold that organizes arrival, provides everyday storage, and strengthens the relationship between the existing volumes without competing with their original form.

III. Excavation: The lower level was selectively excavated to introduce daylight and views into the previously sunken, enclosed spaces. By lowering the exterior grade and opening the foundation to the site, the office now receives abundant natural light and enjoys direct visual connections to the lake. This intervention transforms the lower level from a largely subterranean space into an occupied extension of the home’s relationship with the landscape.
  

In the kitchen, dining, and living room, the existing fir ceiling and exposed beams were patched to maintain the midcentury look and new finishes were added, including new white oak cabinets with integrated pulls, solid surface counters, and new linen ceramic tiles. White oak with dark wood furnishing accents include benches and a table made by the owner, a set of Nakashima dining chairs, and an 18th century Tansu sourced by the clients.
 

The primary bedroom was reoriented with the bed facing the lake which also accommodated a closet that doubles as a headboard and room partition. White oak millwork and cabinetry, carried into the adjoining bath, help unify the spaces with the rest of the house. The tile selections operate as permutations of a single palette throughout the home. Each bath has a wainscoting datum that wraps the room– sometimes as a vanity backsplash, tiled shower ledge, or tub shelf. The custom mirror surrounds in each bathroom, the skylight sheathing, custom wainscoting, and the stair guard rail all feature the same logic and materiality of white oak paneling with batten strips.

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photography by canary grey

photography by Roy Son