In the mid-20th-century, Joseph Eichler stormed suburban residential design in Los Angeles and San Francisco with his distinct minimalist aesthetic. Standing out amongst thousands of houses built by the developer—which tended to be single-story, post-and-beam structures—are the Eichler homes in San Francisco’s Diamond Heights neighborhood. Unlike the usual Eichler project, the 100 homes constructed in this area were two-story or split-level.
Here’s one recently remodeled example. Completed in 1962, the Claude Oakland-designed two-story house was in need of some freshening up. So the owners hired local firm and midcentury specialist Klopf Architecture to simplify the building's layout while improving natural light within the property. Some key changes? Combining two smaller bedrooms into a spacious master suite and eliminating the fourth bedroom. The wood siding on the balconies were also restored to smooth plaster, a reference to the original design. The final result is a tasteful renovation that also respects the original design. Head to Contemporist for the full story and gallery.