Contemporary Yet Cozy

Menlo Oaks remodel focuses on the modern family

Few surprises awaited Harbinder and Surinder Kang when they decided to remodel and expand their Menlo Oaks home -- after all, they had already done this four times before. Trained as a radiation therapist, Surinder Kang ended up turning her penchant for design into a business, sdk design, after her three children were born. She and her husband, an engineer, spotted the little Spanish house that was just around the corner from their last project, a teardown. Noting that the house had been a rental for years, "we saw the potential and that it didn't have to be torn down. ... I thought it would be nice to have a challenge and work with constraints," she says. Those constraints ranged from a majestic oak in front of the house to a large courtyard in the middle. The home was pushed out on one side to create a cloak room, with plenty of hooks for family and guests, as well as storage; a full bathroom; and a study/guest room that overlooks that oak. The entry way was extended forward a few feet, and the old exterior, load-bearing wall became an art niche. Today distinctive remnants of the original 1920s home remain: Coved corners and recessed ceilings were carefully saved, as were the old fireplaces, only now refaced with limestone. READ MORE