2001 Remmies Award Certificate
of Merit for Kitchen Remodel

Built in 1958, this original Gardner Dailey designed home is a treasure hidden surprisingly close to busy El Camino Real in San Mateo, California. Situated in a 3 1/2 acre park-like setting, designed by John McLaren (Golden Gate Park), this ranch style home with an arts and crafts "revisited" touch is one of the most beautifully and solidly built homes Plath & Company has had the pleasure of working with.

As Heidi Richardson stated, "the challenge was in maintaining the details from the original structure," and to be able to adapt modern building techniques to an open rafter style building. The natural open v-groove wood ceilings and vertical siding inside and out needed to be custom milled and matched to the existing wood, as well as continuing the 50 year old slate flooring where each joint was meticulously lined up and balanced with the posts supporting the exposed beam ceilings.

The original kitchen was designed to accommodate the help and was badly in need of modernization and expansion to include a welcoming space for friends and family to gather. This was accomplished while maintaining and expanding the view to the meticulously maintained Chinese gardens beyond.

Plath & Company also worked with the owners to restore two crumbling pavilions in the garden, preserving the historical fabric wherever possible. Concrete walls were poured into existing stucco walls where the wood framing had rotted away. Completely disintegrated trellis beams and Colonnades were restored solely by studying the decaying pieces and dissecting pictures of what previously existed. The completed project does not deviate from what was originally intended for this setting and in fact accomplishes a tranquil and harmonious flow throughout the interior and exterior of this home.