Top architects can see possibilities in the most unexpected places. Take this former storage area tucked into the uppermost floor of a 1929 Tudor-style residence in Piedmont, Calif. As John Malick and Betsy Goodman designed a renovation of the overall house, they pondered what to do with the oddly shaped, unfinished space.
The Emeryville, Calif.-based architects ultimately opted to double the room’s size, repeating its faceted wall and window structure on the other side of the house. In so doing, they created a mirror image of the original space and a new, octagonal layout perfect for a billiards room. Builder Tom Andreoni, of Andreoni & Stanton Construction, lined the walls and sloping ceilings with Douglas fir paneling—a material choice that promotes a cozy, boatlike feeling. “We decided to create a wood room with the character of a finished attic,” Goodman explains. “It’s a very unique space.”
See below for the project’s floor plans.