Ten years after Building Lab renovated the interior of a San Anselmo home, the family invited the Oakland-based firm back to tackle the property’s awkward exterior entryway. “Our clients had always disliked the approach to the house because the front entry was tucked unceremoniously under a deck,” says Building Lab principal Stephen Shoup. Among the issues, the deck’s bulky posts obstructed the flow to the front door, requiring visitors to walk up the sloping driveway to reach the entrance.
To improve access and enhance outdoor living and curb appeal, Building Lab demolished the bulky old deck, regraded the site and built a sleek new deck with slender steel posts. Beneath the sunny second-floor deck, a new shaded terrace featuring black locust wood pavers set in gravel opens to the street. Cascading concrete steps with integrated lighting guide visitors to the entrance. Artful new plantings and sculptural wood furnishings by ORCA Living add textural interest. “Now, the deck and porch allow the family to enjoy the outdoors in both mild weather and hot or inclement weather, and the exterior of the home reflects the continuity of the language of the interior,” Shoup says.
