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When Pallavi and Chandra Nath bought their south Los Altos home in 2013, location was the deciding factor. Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac and within walking distance of local schools, it offered both an easy commute and enough space for Chandra’s parents to join their young family of four.
The nearly original 1950s rancher, however, came with a few quirks.
“It was an old house. Plumbing was always an issue. The kitchen tiles never looked clean, and the floors creaked no matter what we tried,” Pallavi recalled. There was also an awkward step down into the family room.
For years, the high-tech couple weighed the idea of reconfiguring and modernizing the home.
As a finance guy, Chandra said he viewed every potential remodel as a “return on investment decision.”
“By waiting and doing it all at once, we saved quite a bit,” he said.
A cohesive plan
When the time finally came, the Naths assembled their own “trifecta” of architect, designer and contractor, rather than choosing a one-stop firm. They ultimately hired Tom Carrubba, principal architect for square three architecture, because they felt he understood their need for light and better flow.
“I like the challenge of achieving the owners’ goals and making one cohesive design,” Carrubba said.
Leveling the floors in all parts of the house, boosting curb appeal and adding a clerestory dormer transformed the dark rancher into a light-filled modern farmhouse clad in burnt-wood siding and soft green tones.
Reimagined kitchen
The greatest changes occurred in the kitchen. The couple added a large center island topped by Cielo quartzite with a leathery finish. They opted for Thermador appliances versus higher-end ones, so they could splurge on the countertops.
While the architect sketched in the bones of the kitchen, the interior designer, Kerstin Dieterich, reoriented the appliances and island to smoothly segue into the dining room, with its round table.
“They love to entertain,” she said. “They wanted the kitchen to be the center point.”
Touches of the couple’s Indian heritage can be seen throughout the home, including the wallpaper in the bathrooms and at each side of the family room’s wrap-around fireplace.
Spaces for everyone
The remodel created space for a laundry room painted Kennebunkport green to match the home’s exterior, an office for Chandra overlooking the pool and a guest suite that includes a vaulted bedroom and a bathroom with a Toto toilet/bidet, as well as shower grab bars and a fold down seat for Pallavi’s parents who now use the suite when they come for long visits from India. (Chandra’s parents, who once lived in the house now own a home nearby.)
For the primary bedroom suite, they moved the furnace to the attic, creating space for his-and-hers walk-in closets. The fireplace was removed, the ceiling vaulted and two windows added. The bathroom now features a large, freestanding acrylic tub, as well as a steam shower system.
Sun-filled rooms
From the start, light was the project’s driving force. Accordion glass doors now open the living and family room spaces to the backyard and pool. Low-voltage wiring was built-in for automated shades, when more privacy (or dimmer lights) are required.
The clerestory dormer not only brightens the front of the house but pulls daylight deep into the interior.
Challenges along the way
Working with three separate professionals wasn’t always seamless. At one point, the bedrooms were drawn with 8-foot ceilings, though the Naths had envisioned vaulted ones. The couple sat down with the architect and contractor to hash out a solution.
“We embraced that tension,” Chandra said. “Conflict can be a good thing.”
Timing and budget also presented challenges. The couple kicked off the process in 2020 and was prepared to begin the renovations in 2021 but paused the project due to inflation and supply-chain shortages. By the time construction began, the market had shifted, allowing the couple to negotiate discounts. Still, the budget ran about 30% over, largely due to material costs.
“Small details mattered,” Chandra said.
The biggest surprise came after the remodel was completed. The couple said the Santa Clara County Assessor’s Office recently reappraised their home and classified it as a new build instead of a remodel.
“This was a complete surprise to us, especially since the city of Los Altos approved it as a remodel,” the couple wrote in an email.
They have filed an appeal with the county.
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