Thirty Bay Area interior and landscape designers have put their signature touches on San Rafael’s Rosegarden Estate, an 8,000-square-foot 1929 Georgian Colonial in park-like surroundings. But there’s a twist - sustainability had to be part of the plan.  Designers answered the challenge by installing eco-friendly furnishings, reclaimed floors and windows and recycled accessories.

When asked to collaborate with Ohashi Design Studio out of Emeryville on an Oakland Hills remodel we knew we would have a hand in creating something innovative and exciting. Alan Ohashi has a keen eye for detail and his firm is recognized for their ability to provide full service architectural and interior design services to their clients. Alan Ohashi prepared schematic floor plans and drew renderings to the clients’ liking…

It makes sense that a vacation home is set in a breathtaking location. Similarly, it is logical that the design of the house will appreciate that environment at every turn. This wood and stucco house, designed by architect Robert Swatt of Swatt Miers, sits on a hill overlooking a rustic valley.

“The design follows the contours of the land – a long ridge, with the hill falling away gently in front and dropping more dramatically to the left and right,” says Swatt. “The house appears to climb and crown the ridge, with two congruent wings at ground level and a master suite set back on the upper level.”

The goal of this project was a modest addition that would take advantage of the secluded backyard of this beautiful gated property. From the start the owner put an emphasis on environmental sensitivity, recycling, and reuse.

A reconfiguration to the backside of the house added space and opened views from the kitchen and family room. Half of the kitchen was left undisturbed and existing details were matched to expand into the new space re using cabinets and fixtures where possible. A covered patio…

The Hudson-Panos House is a 2900 square foot residence located on a nine-acre hillside property in Healdsburg, California. The owners, who reside in the Nob Hill district of San Francisco, desired a restful getaway, where their family could spend weekends and holidays in a relaxed, country environment. Their goals included open planning for casual family living, generous spaces for children to play, strong physical connections to the land, and ...

Kasten Builders and Swatt Architects take home another award for their outstanding work on another custom home.  This time it’s the Citation Award from the 2008 Western Red Cedar Design Awards.

Seldom are designers given the freedom to design “outside the box” while working in collaboration with a client whose artistic sensibilities are always on the mark.  Delivering the agreed-upon vision while overcoming inevitable inherent design issues truly tests a designer’s mettle.  The successful outcome of such an endeavor is likely to be a personal milestone for both client and designer…

Although modern was an ugly word for decades in Northern California, the architectural pendulum has finally swung back, a boon for Swatt, who is elated to be able to really focus on the California modern architecture that he says has “always been in my DNA…”

Kasten Builders and Swatt Architects receive the MERIT AWARD for Exceptional Residence at the 2006 Bay Area Design Awards.  The award was issued by the American Institute of Architecture, East Bay Chapter.