Design in Progress: The Making of a Modern Vacation Home

Our clients’ vacation home in Carmel-by-the-Sea is a rare gem. With its impressive  scale, height, and footprint, a similar house would never be approved on its lot again, which makes the process of updating and reimaging it that much more special.

The property itself might be outdated, but the tools and technology our design team uses are cutting edge. After the initial design consultation, we use Chief Architect software to create a virtual, 3D walkthrough so our clients can see how their space will look and function. This is the perfect way for us to collaborate with homeowners and make tweaks as needed to the design before construction even begins. 

Starting with a Clean Slate

When it comes to creating the perfect vacation home, functional aspects like storage space, appliance size, closets and more are a bit different from a primary family home. Our clients told us that they plan to spend a week or two at a time here with their two young children fairly often throughout the year, so the final design of the space will keep this in mind.

Ultimately, our goal is to create a sleek, usable space with a low level of required maintenance so this family can spend more time enjoying their time together and less on upkeep.

This older structure has a significant amount of rot and failing framing, so before we transform the interior, our team will reframe about 95 percent of the structure, replace the windows, roofing, and siding, and install a new drainage system to redirect water away from the house.

Designing An Open, Modern Retreat

Against a backdrop of light wood tones, crisp white, and contrasting black elements, the interior will be a beautifully relaxed take on modern design with an absolutely stunning floating staircase as the focal point. Sourced from Viewrail, this piece is supported by one single metal structure piece, while thoughtfully placed glass panels make the treads appear to float in midair. 

Every element of this floor plan has been meticulously designed to encourage shared experiences and promote togetherness. Our design team utilized the floating staircase as an architectural centerpiece that not only connects the main floor to the upstairs, but invites you to explore the upper level of the home without feeling disconnected to what is going on below. A breezeway lined with the same glass paneling as the staircase will overlook the kitchen and living area, offering clean sight lines and drawing the eye upward to the architectural details in the wood-clad ceiling. 

To provide a kid-friendly space for our clients, we will transform the house’s original garage into a separate family room, reserving the main living area for more formal entertaining.

Finally, we’ll create a cohesive flow from the interior to the outdoor space with new hardscape and landscaping that fits the house and the neighborhood, while also creating another perfect spot for fun and relaxation.

By staying on top of the latest design trends and technology, our team is constantly fine-tuning their expertise so that our clients can envision their spaces before a hammer is raised. Stay tuned to see our progress on this incredible project!

Letter from John

I am really fortunate to have not only a high performing team of hard working, smart people on our team at LB, but also humbled by their hearts and desire to give back to our community.  This is not only true for our internal team at LB but also our trade contractors and clients. 

A couple years ago, our team voted and unanimously agreed to give back to our community and help a family or individual in need of home accessibility that could otherwise not afford the modifications.  Once we agreed, we thought it would take months to get the word out and look for a person and project with the greatest need that we could make the biggest impact with.  To our surprise we had the perfect candidate practically fall in our lap.  I was at physical therapy the next day and shared this with the owner and good friend of mine, John Farahmand.  He sees hundreds if not thousands of patients in his multiple clinics in the area, and he immediately lit up and said, “I have the perfect candidate.”  And that is how we met Joseph Escalante.  

 I learned as much as I could about Joseph and brought it back to the team.  We knew immediately that there was no need to wait and collect other candidates; we had found our perfect match.

 One of the interesting things about accessibility is this is what brought my business partner Scott Julian and I together.  Early in my career, as a Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS), I was referred to for accessibility needs of all types throughout Monterey County.  Scott represented the medical equipment side of things and we continued to get referred to the same projects.  I enjoyed working with Scott because of his values and ethics and knew that if we were both on a job the client would be well taken care of, regardless of whether it was a child with a disability or an elderly person that was experiencing the burdens of aging.  Eventually, Scott left that industry and joined my side as a business partner in Lewis Builders, and we’ve grown it into what it is today.  And while we no longer do small accessibility projects, we are passionate about incorporating these Universal Design concepts into our homes, long before our clients ever even need them. 

 I became passionate about this line of work because of having to recover from major knee surgery when I was younger, single, and lived on my own in a house that was not set up for accessibility.  It was a terribly humbling, and often painful, and even scary experience.  Through this, I developed deep empathy for people trying to live safe, independent lives in unsafe homes not set up for accessibility or aging. 

 Joseph was the perfect candidate because before his injury he also lived a normal life like I had before my injuries. But now he knows to a much greater degree the drastic differences of trying to live life in a new way, in a home ill-suited to the new needs. In this project, we knew we could truly live our creed, “Change Your Space. Change Your Life.”

 Our plan was to renovate his house to reestablish some independence despite his disabilities, but also some safety.  I am proud of all of the contributions from our team, trade partners, suppliers, and even some clients, that came together to help out a complete stranger either out of empathy or sympathy for a fellow community member.  So for those of you that helped, contributed time, money, or labor, I am deeply grateful that we made a huge impact into Joseph's daily life.  

So on the eve of Thanksgiving and this holiday season ahead, I want to simply say to all of you, thank you. 

 

John Lewis





Building a New Life in Carmel Highlands

Located in the prestigious Carmel Highlands, this home went through quite a transformation. Beginning as a full home remodel, it evolved into a “custom home new build.” For this family of four, relocating to Carmel, California was motivated by a desire to get closer to nature. So it was essential that we brought the elements of the peaceful forest and breathtaking ocean seamlessly into the design of their new home. 

This truly is a “CHANGE YOUR SPACE, CHANGE YOUR LIFE” story. Husband and wife Vince and Melissa and their two beautiful girls had been living in Southern California. They felt like they were missing out on precious moments together as a family. Their initial idea was to buy this as a vacation home and use it as such until their daughters went away to college.  They took the leap and moved here full time…everything changed: new school, new home, new office, new life! 

The just under 2,000 square foot home was in the perfect location surrounded by pristine scenery, but was in dire need of a renovation. A tremendous amount of vision and expertise was required to take this home from what it was to what could be.  To start, we took the home nearly down to the foundation. Using the existing footprint, we created a complete redesign, increasing the square footage by building upwards, adding in a grand vaulted ceiling and the addition of a loft. One of our main objectives was to maximize the magnificent views for the family.

“It was fun sharing the experience of building something together as a family,” adds Melissa. Even one of the daughters had the brilliant addition of the skylight in the upper loft/playroom, which was incorporated into the design.

This family of four was downsizing from a 5,000 sq ft home in SoCal, so we needed to be cognizant of this as we created their new 2,760 sq ft. space. This was a welcomed downsize for the family and our aim was to design in plenty of seamless storage and design elements to help the home feel spacious. This included adding in many large windows and oversized doorways, the grand raised ceiling and open floor plan aesthetic. The family was surprised at how they did not even notice this decrease in space due to the efficiency of the design.

The finished project is a testament to the family’s love for the natural charm of the area and spending time together. The end result is a warm and natural, yet polished and modern aesthetic. Rich woods are found throughout the entire house, and an understated rustic charm is felt in elements such as the gracious chandeliers, trim, and staircase. Hand-hewn Douglas fir box beams, from Vintage Timberworks were sourced from local authentic recycled, reclaimed wood. Throughout the home, wood flooring creates warmth with tongue-and-groove pine custom stained at the clients’ request. Other flooring features country-grade European oak, cut to highlight the natural character of the wood, including cracks from the heart of the tree. It’s finished in beautiful tannin-reactive colors for natural, neutral hues.

Rather than being isolated as it formerly was, the relocated kitchen, featuring a large island complemented by a natural stone wall, now leads into a formal dining and family room, creating a shared space that is truly the heart of the home. Our layout reconfiguration relocated the primary suite to the west side of the home to maximize views, featuring a den for relaxing and a spacious primary bath, appointed with spa elements like a waterfall shower and soaking tub. Views of the ocean and mountains abound and a walk-around deck was added to fully maximize those stunning views.

Long-Awaited Quail Run Project Incorporates a Custom Japanese Bath

Renovations made to this gorgeous Quail Run Golf Community home in Carmel Valley have been decades in the making. Built in the 1960s, the current owners have lived here since the ’90s, and with their two adult daughters now settled in New York City, this husband and wife decided that it was finally time to make some big changes and create their dream home.


The Vision

The clients’ main wishes included improving the flow of the three-bedroom home, especially between the kitchen, dining and living areas; bringing more light into the space; adding a bathroom; and incorporating an Ofuro, or Japanese Bath, into the primary bedroom. They also wanted to fill in the pool, update their appliances and create a better area for their cats’ litter box. 

They asked for clean, straight lines throughout the space, and a limited color palette, but were very comfortable with trusting our designer’s expertise to make decisions on the overall design.

The Challenges

Built about 50 years ago, this house was not constructed in a way that would be considered structurally acceptable by today’s standards. One of the most important tasks on our list was to bring the home up to modern specs and seismic standards. This included removing the siding, adding sheet panel, and addressing termite damage. Neither our clients nor our team was expecting to strip the entire house down to the studs, but we ultimately found an affordable way to address the issues and make the structure safe. 

Light and Flow 

To brighten up the space, we created a vaulted ceiling by removing and restructuring about two thirds of the roof. We then added hand-cut rafters to serve as a focal point. We also opened up the main living areas by removing partition walls so the kitchen, dining room and living room all flowed together. 

In the kitchen, we added updated appliances and paired them with beautiful, frameless cabinetry for a clean look. In the living room we created a full wraparound hearth and mantle which flows seamlessly into pass-through shelves, giving the impression that the feature is made from one solid piece of stone.

A Spa-Like Bath Experience

The customer wanted to incorporate a favorite element of their Japanese roots in their bathroom renovation with a custom Ofuro, or Japanese Bath. We made this vision come to life through a two-part space featuring a shower room and a room for the soak tub in keeping with the Ofuro tradition of showering first before relaxing in the bath. The soak tub, which stays full as the water recirculates, is warmed by its very own water heater controlled on a wall panel. The shower area features stunning, solid-surface walls. 

The cats even got their wish of a bathroom upgrade with a fully automated, self-maintaining litter box. Connected to its own open drain and water line in the main bathroom, the Cat Genie litter box is on an automated schedule based on when the cats choose to use it. It self-cleans, - sanitizes, and -dries every day—and never requires a litter change. 

Finishing Exterior Touches

Compared to the structural challenges the Lewis Builders team faced earlier in this project, the exterior renovations were a breeze. We filled in the pool, which the clients never used, with non-organic fill materials before topping the area with sand and topsoil. By eliminating the pool, the clients then had enough water credits available for their added bathroom. 

Finally, as a tribute to the home’s history, we replanted the eight-foot-wide rose bushes that we had salvaged during construction. 

This family was absolutely beside themselves when they experienced the finished results. They are so happy with the outcome and are looking forward to this next chapter in their family home in Quail Run.

A House for Joseph

We live by our tagline: Change Your Space, Change Your Life®. Sometimes, that means transforming a Pebble Beach cliff house for a high-profile client or updating a seaside vacation home into a modern masterpiece. Other times, we have the opportunity to make a dramatic difference for someone who desperately needs home help — someone like Joseph Escalante and his wonderful mother, Sandy. 

Joseph’s Story

In 2005, Joseph was a carefree young man vacationing with a friend in Mexico. They were relaxing on a beach when three cars came racing across the sand and ran over them in a moment of an unimaginable tragedy. Joseph’s friend died instantly, and Joseph was left critically injured, with permanent brain damage affecting his ability to do life’s most basic functions. 

Joseph moved back into his mother’s Salinas home, where she could provide the constant care he needed to survive. With the addition of his wheelchair and other medical equipment, it was very difficult for him to move around the house and accomplish simple tasks on his own. Joseph and Sandy needed help. 

A New Home, A New Life

When Lewis Builders heard Joseph’s story, we knew we could — and should — help. We got to work designing and crafting an updated, accessible space that would give Joseph a bit more independence and Sandy some relief and peace of mind. 

By early May, the main parts of construction were complete. The house was ready for exterior paint and other finishing touches — perfect tasks for the collection of LB employees, friends, family, and local businesses who stepped up to volunteer. Everyone was eager to make a difference and become part of what it truly means to Change Your Space, Change Your Life.

The morning of paint day, Sandy greeted us with warm oatmeal cookies and immense love and gratitude. She wanted a beach house color and feel — something that was happy but also calming. Sherwin Williams graciously donated all the paint and painting supplies needed to paint the home Vast Sky, a beautiful blue.

Victor Jaurez from Division Painting provided great support with sprayers, manpower, and organization, along with our President, Scott Julian, to organize the LB volunteers. After a few hours of hard work, a taco cart rolled in for lunch to give us a quick break while we celebrated our efforts.

At the end of the day, our hearts were full of love & gratitude for the difference we were able to make with so many caring hands.  We look forward to completing this project in mid-June, so stay tuned to watch Joseph move into his new digs!

Joseph’s story is an unforgettable one. Watch this video to understand more. 

We sincerely & humbly thank the following friends of Lewis Builders, donors, and trade partners who’ve helped us get this far. We could not do it without their incredible support.  

Dr. John Faramound

Eric Lamison

Jay & Jenny Davisson

CRP Plastering

Mission Construction

Williams Roofing

American Tile

Kasavan Construction

Division Painting

Edgars Plumbing

Ferguson Plumbing

Shoreline Woodworks

Mag One Media