More gables outside, much more spaciousness inside - vintage house remodeling

Sunset, Jan, 1990

More gables outside, much more spaciousness inside It's the same, only different: this two-pronged rear extension on a 1930s-vintage house repeats the existing gable motif on the outside while adding a distinctive new feeling of spaciousness on the inside.

Berkeley architect Gary Parsons added 400 square feet in two wings. The larger, with a saw-toothed double gable, contains an expanded kitchen. The smaller wing contains a new family room (occupying a former porch). With their generous garden views, both wings serve almost as overscaled bay windows.

Inside both wings, ceilings soar to the full height of the gable, providing a dramatic contrast to flat-ceilinged adjacent spaces. A grandly scaled arch separates the kitchen proper from an informal eating area without cutting the two areas apart. A new hall links both wings and opens directly to the garden.