When it comes to their design projects, Bynn Esmond Designs in San Carlos, California employs a three-word philosophy: classic, clean and modern. Principal designer Bynn Esmond used that approach to renew a dated Tudor in the artfully remodeled spaces of a Bay Area residence. She squared off the envelope of the home, removed odd angles, raised rooflines and modernized multiple rooms, gracefully ushering this storybook home into the 21st century. Using a delicate balance of dark and light tones, the aesthetic is a master class in timeless style, as Esmond describes below.
“There is a sense of calm and peace as you walk into the entry, a place where you can enjoy a quiet moment before moving about the day. We kept the space simple and quiet with thoughtful details sprinkled throughout.” A common thread in each room is seen in artwork curated by San Francisco’s Dolby Chadwick Gallery.
“We wanted the interiors to portray the nostalgia and romanticism of the French countryside, and the black La Cornue range sets that mood in the kitchen. Going with a dark green-almost black-cabinet color accented with antiqued brass hardware provided just the right amount of tonal variance to elevate the kitchen. We applied a lime plaster to the range hood to achieve an Old World charm, and continued its color tone to flow through the backsplash. Using two different types of handmade tile with glaze and crackle effects allowed us to further vary the colors, size, and thickness of the tiles to create a full spectrum of movement, dimensionality and texture.”
“A dark color palette was the basis for an intimate, cozy dining room with high style. What’s most appealing to me is the luxuriousness we achieved from the wall treatments. The modern paneling of the wainscotting with the slight sheen of the natural grasscloth wallpaper added subtle texture, softness and depth to the glamor of the room.”
“Continuing with the dark moody feel similar to the dining room helped the den blend into the background, especially since it can be viewed from the see-through fireplace. The dining room has a deep green-blue undertone, while the den has a deep blue undertone, and the kitchen has a deep green undertone. All three rooms were tied together with the use of yellow, from the use of brass hardware and white oak cabinets to the camel tone of the leather sofa and a hint of yellow in the painting.”
“It was important for us to honor some of the architectural elements of the home but make it feel more modern and spacious. In the living room, we switched out a shorter, rectangular window with tall arched windows to draw the viewers to the height of the room, the cathedral ceiling, and the views outside the windows. This simple change also brought more light into the house while making it feel more spacious.”
Scroll through for more images from this Tudor re-design project from Bynn Esmond Designs.
Photography by Agnieszka Jakubowicz Photography.
Styling by Allegra Hsiao Styling.
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