Atherton, CA. When the team at SAW// Spiegel Aihara Workshop started working on a mid-century home at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in the Silicon Valley, they opted to buck the trend of demolish and replace. Instead, they chose to work with the prominent (and highly inefficient) rooflines to create a home based on carving away at spaces instead of adding on to them. The beautiful result speaks for itself.

We had the chance to chat with Dan Spiegel about the project and some of the intriguing design decisions.

What were some of the design challenges of this home?

The ceiling contained a lot of attic space, which was uninhabitable and inefficient. So we decided to carve into it to bring in more light and useable living space. Another challenge was the original flooring. It was cold and we wanted to bring in more warmth. There was also a diagonal grain in the floor plan, so we chose a material with grain to it.

Why did you choose to use wood where you did?

We chose to use wood because we wanted a warm look and feel for the home. We also used wood as a connector that calls to attention the places we carved away from the attic space. We wrapped the wood up to the ceiling to call attention to the design intent.

Why MADERA?

We loved the surface texture; it's more refined than what's on the market. The grain is exposed, yet modern; we loved that. The ability to use it in multiple applications was also crucial. We used it on the floors, walls, ceilings, stairs and even bench seating in the kitchen. The look is clean and seamless. Another important aspect to us was how well the light reflected off of the finish, especially with the ceiling application. These are tiny details that make a big difference in the overall design.

Architect: SAW// Spiegel Aihara Workshop
Product: Dimma European Oak 
Photographer: Mikiko Kikuyama
Press: Architect Newspaper
Awards: AIA San Mateo
Press: Dwell