Lake Tahoe Truckee | Residential Design · Land Use Planning · Permit Plans
MARIN WATERFRONT
MARIN WATERFRONT
Mill Valley California
CONDOMINIUM COMPLETE REMODEL
Project Team
Designer:
MASTRIDICASA
Contractor:
Good Guy Builders
The footprint could not grow. So every square foot had to get smarter.
After completing another remodel in the same Shelter Bay condominium complex, MASTRIDICASA was asked to rework this waterfront residence for a new client.
The opportunity was not more space, but better use of the space already there.
Closets were relocated to create a more generous primary bath. A built-in dining banquette gave the great room more room for living. Custom cabinetry added substantial storage without crowding circulation. Bedrooms were simplified, and the kitchen, dining, and living areas were reorganized to work as a more coherent whole.
Rather than chase dramatic gestures, the remodel concentrated on proportion, organization, storage, and the relationships between rooms — small moves with consequences far beyond the lines they occupy on a plan.
The owners gained a home that feels more generous without adding a single square foot — proof that sometimes the space you need is already there.
ENTRY
In a compact condominium, the entry has very little room to waste.
Storage, circulation, sightlines, and arrival all have to occupy the same small zone without making it feel crowded.
Built-in cabinetry and a simple bench give everyday things a place to land while keeping the path into the home open and visually quiet.
Warm wood introduces a tactile note against the lighter interior and turns a purely functional moment into a more deliberate arrival.
It is a small space, but getting it right means the rest of the home begins without clutter following you through the door.
GREAT ROOM
The main living area was reorganized to make better use of the existing footprint rather than ask for more of it.
Moving dining into a built-in banquette opened a larger portion of the room for lounging and created a clearer relationship between kitchen, dining, and living.
The change is modest on paper.
Its effect on the room is much larger.
Instead of asking one compact room to somehow feel bigger, the plan simply gives each activity a better place to happen.
GREAT ROOM
The built-in banquette turns an edge of the room into a dedicated dining area without requiring the circulation space of a freestanding table surrounded on all sides.
That single planning move gives more of the great room back to everyday living while making dining feel intentional rather than squeezed into whatever space remained.
Integrated storage adds another layer of usefulness without adding visual clutter.
A few feet used differently gave the owners more room to gather, more room to move, and more room to simply live in the same footprint.
KITCHEN / DINING
The kitchen, banquette, and living area were planned as one compact sequence.
Storage stays close at hand. Dining helps define the room without relying on new walls. Circulation remains open between the spaces rather than being carved into separate zones.
The palette stays light and restrained, allowing the warmer wood elements and waterfront setting to bring character without making a small interior feel busier than it needs to.
Everything has a place, but very little announces itself — leaving the home open, organized, and easy to move through.
Relocating the existing closets created enough room to substantially improve the primary bath without increasing the condominium footprint.
The new plan gained better proportion, more storage, and more usable space by borrowing from an area that could be organized more efficiently.
Light surfaces, simple lines, and a restrained palette reinforce that sense of openness rather than asking finishes to compensate for a difficult plan.
The owners did not need a larger condominium to get a larger, more comfortable bath. They needed the existing square footage to be asked a better question.
BATHROOM 1
BEDROOM 2
The second bedroom stays simple and flexible, with enough storage and open floor area to work comfortably for guests, everyday use, or changing needs over time.
Nothing is added simply to make the room feel more designed.
The value is in leaving enough room for the space to become whatever the owners need it to be.
PRIMARY BEDROOM
The primary bedroom is designed to feel like a retreat from the rest of the home — simple, uncluttered, and open to the waterfront just outside.
Full-height cabinetry absorbs the storage that would otherwise crowd the room, leaving more of the floor area free and the view toward the balcony uninterrupted.
Open the doors and the room extends outside: morning air, changing light, water, and the landscape beyond become part of the space.
Nothing needs to compete for attention.
The pleasure is in how little the room asks of you — wake up to the water, step outside with a cup of coffee, and let the rest of the day wait a while.
