When a young family came across a “super Eichler” for sale in Walnut Creek, they knew the house was meant for them. Passionate about modern design, the family had previously lived in a classic Eichler home—one of the many distinctive mid-century houses developed in California by influential builder Joseph Eichler—and they loved its clean, open aesthetic. But “super Eichlers,” which have more space than the standard ones and often feature light-filled atriums, are harder to come by, and the homeowners jumped at the opportunity to own one.
“We love Eichlers for their architecture and history,” the homeowners explain. “We’d been looking for a bigger home for our family and were excited to find this 1971 five-bedroom Eichler in Walnut Creek. But the previous owners had used a lot of white throughout, and it looked kind of clinical, like a hospital. We wanted it to feel warmer and cozier, so we needed to find an interior designer who understood our style. Laura [Martin Bovard] was definitely the right person with the right vision. She totally nailed it.”
Designer Laura Martin Bovard warmed up the living room with a tambour wood wall panel and chose a Saarinen Womb Chair to complement the home’s mid-century aesthetic.
Martin Bovard, who founded her Oakland-based firm LMB Interiors in 2003, is known for infusing her projects with warmth and character while still maintaining an elegant sophistication. “I take a soulful, heart-based approach to design,” she says, “and I want people to feel relaxed and supported by their furnishings.”
In the course of getting to know the new owners—a couple who work from home and have a young son—Martin Bovard saw the need for an inviting space where the family could spend time together and two stylish but practical offices.
“I was excited that the owners were so fond of Eichler architecture because it has such a great vibe,” says Martin Bovard, who worked closely on the project with general contractor Craig Beckner. “But Eichlers—which are known for having concrete slab foundations and large aluminum windows—can be a bit cool. And sometimes you want to feel like your space is giving you a big hug. Eichlers don’t really hug you.”
To achieve maximum “huggability,” Martin Bovard warmed up the living area by adding a floor-to-ceiling tambour wood panel and a plush sectional sofa. She chose a mobile-like light fixture designed by Daniel Becker that “beautifully fills up the vaulted ceiling space in a Calder-esque way, without being too heavy,” she explains.
Throughout the project, Martin Bovard mixed mid-century pieces, such as a classic Eames chair, with more modern but still complementary elements. For example, the dining room features a mid-century-style dining set along with a striking carved sideboard from Altura Furniture, a bubble chandelier from Pelle, and a collage by artist Jay Kelly of Stephanie Breitbard Fine Arts.
One of the house’s two offices features a custom bookshelf with an integrated desk from San Francisco’s Go Build Studio and an Eames lounge chair and ottoman.
One of the home offices doubles as a guest room, with a custom queen-size Murphy bed that neatly drops down over the sofa—meaning no furniture has to be moved to accommodate a visitor. The other office features a built-in bookshelf with an integrated desk designed by Brian Eby of San Francisco’s Go Build Studio and a tiled bar area that conceals office equipment. “The office has a kind of Mad Men charm,” Martin Bovard says, “with its wet bar and bespoke shelving.”
“We love how Laura found a way to cleverly hide functional features,” the homeowners add. “And she frequently used local resources and artisans, who did everything with such quality and care.”
The kitchen was the only room in which Martin Bovard and her team needed to slightly modify the house’s original floor plan. To make better use of the space, they removed a wall and created an area for a coffee bar and wine fridge, designed to coordinate with the cabinet hardware and color scheme of the existing kitchen.
In reflecting on the completed project, Martin Bovard says that it was the choice of artworks, curated in partnership with San Francisco’s Stephanie Breitbard, that helped her achieve the desired result. “I think that art is how you really transform a space,” Martin Bovard says. “It’s like how you can transform an outfit in seconds with the right belt and earrings—that’s how I feel about interiors. It’s the finishing touches that make such a difference.”
And the homeowners are delighted with the outcome. “[The house] really fits us,” they affirm. “Laura knew how much it meant to us, and she really put her heart into it. Honestly, we can’t imagine living in any other home.”