Marin Spaces Magazine Highlight

On the site of a former ranch house in Los Altos Hills, Fergus Garber Architects designed a tailored modern farmhouse–inspired residence that now serves as a central gathering place for family and friends. Featured in Marin Spaces, the ground-up custom home reflects a lifestyle-driven approach to residential architecture—one that prioritizes entertaining, seamless indoor-outdoor living, and flexible social spaces over traditional programmatic requirements.

The homeowners, a couple with two young sons, approached the project with a clear vision centered on how they wanted to live rather than a fixed list of rooms. Early in the design process, they toured several completed Fergus Garber Architects homes to refine their preferences, gravitating toward layouts with expansive great rooms, multiple entertaining zones, and strong visual connections to the landscape. That exploration ultimately shaped a home in which smaller bedrooms give way to a generous vaulted great room capable of accommodating everything from everyday family life to large-scale gatherings and impromptu dance parties.

Site-Responsive Architecture Rooted in the Landscape

Sited on a flat 1.1-acre Silicon Valley property, the home’s placement was informed by a hands-on, empirical approach. A mature oak tree became the organizing element for both the architecture and landscape design, anchoring the site plan and lending a sense of permanence and identity to the property. The residence was carefully positioned to preserve existing trees, capture key views, maximize privacy, and create a shaded front lawn well suited to outdoor entertaining.

From the outset, Fergus Garber Architects collaborated closely with Collin Jones Studio on landscape architecture, interior design firm Studio JYO, and von Clemm Construction. This integrated design process ensured that architecture, interiors, and outdoor spaces evolved together as a cohesive whole—an approach emblematic of high-end Bay Area residential architecture.

The 4,700-square-foot home is organized in a clear T-shaped plan comprising four bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. The “stem” of the T contains the vaulted great room—housing the kitchen, dining, and living areas—while the two-story crossbar accommodates the private sleeping quarters. Four sets of French doors line the great room, opening to an oak-shaded front porch and lawn on one side and to a covered rear patio and pool terrace on the other. A 500-square-foot poolside accessory dwelling unit (ADU) extends the home’s flexibility, providing comfortable accommodations for guests and extended family.

A Dramatic Entry and Thoughtful Interior Architecture

A striking 5-by-8-foot aluminum-clad pivot door announces the home’s primary entry, opening into a foyer that subtly mediates between public and private zones. Nearby, a gently curved staircase designed by Studio JYO introduces a sculptural focal point and a quiet sense of movement. The lower stair treads span wall to wall, with floating steps integrated along one side to create display surfaces for artwork and reinforce the home’s gallery-like calm.

Throughout the interior, Studio JYO principal Joo Y. Oh layered warmth and texture into the modern architectural framework. Light wood tones, black accents, and a palette of earthen hues—olive, rust, orange, and eggplant—soften the home’s crisp geometry. White oak floors, ceilings, and cabinetry provide continuity across the living spaces, creating a serene and cohesive interior environment.

In the great room, repetition of materials establishes visual rhythm and balance. The kitchen features Macchia Vecchia marble countertops and backsplash paired with oak wall paneling and custom Henrybuilt cabinetry detailed with oil-rubbed brass. At the opposite end of the space, the fireplace surround—composed of oak, marble, and brass—echoes the kitchen’s material language, reinforcing a sense of symmetry and refinement.

Flexible Gathering Spaces for Social Living

Designed with entertaining in mind, the home emphasizes flexible gathering spaces that support a range of social interactions. Furniture groupings are arranged to accommodate large gatherings while also allowing guests to naturally break into smaller, more intimate conversations.

This same philosophy extends to the outdoor living areas. The covered back patio is organized into distinct zones for dining, lounging, and poolside relaxation. Overhead, a steel arbor is softened by custom-fabricated woven willow panels from The Willow Farm, casting dappled shade and strengthening the connection between architecture and landscape. Across the pool, additional seating and a firepit create another welcoming setting for casual evenings and family gatherings.

Craft, Materials, and Seamless Indoor-Outdoor Transitions

Meticulous attention to detail elevates the home’s straightforward plan into a highly refined custom residence. Rather than relying on conventional aluminum door thresholds, Fergus Garber Architects specified custom thresholds fabricated from Pistache limestone—the same material used for the patio hardscape. This subtle but impactful decision minimizes visual transitions between interior and exterior surfaces, reinforcing the home’s seamless indoor-outdoor flow.

Material selections throughout the project were guided by durability, warmth, and long-term livability—key considerations for a young family. Many furnishings were sourced from brands such as CB2, West Elm, Article, and Design Within Reach, then customized to feel bespoke. A live-edge walnut dining table, finished with a custom gray wash, became a one-of-a-kind centerpiece that balances craftsmanship with everyday practicality.

A Modern Bay Area Home Shaped by Collaboration

As featured in Marin Spaces, this Los Altos Hills custom home exemplifies Fergus Garber Architects’ approach to modern Bay Area residential design: site-responsive planning, collaborative process, refined materiality, and a deep commitment to creating light-filled, livable homes. By aligning architecture, interiors, and landscape around a shared vision of hospitality, flexibility, and ease, the design team created a residence that supports both vibrant social gatherings and quieter moments of family life—now and for years to come.

Original article by Anh-Minh Le, Marin Spaces Magazine

 “Primed for a Party: A Los Altos Hills House Centers Around Entertaining, Inside and Outside”