A Garage Converted Modern Playroom

Architect Carey Bernstein helped to transform the detached garage of a three level 1908 home in San Francisco from a dilapidated, forgotten outbuilding into a playroom for the kids. The garage-turned-playroom is separated from the kitchen by a small courtyard that Bernstein refurbished with sandstone pavers. Both the kitchen and the playroom incorporate some similar materials, like ipe decking, which leads to a sense of continuity across the courtyard. There is a direct line of sight from the kitchen to the playroom, striking the right balance between giving the children a space of their own and not putting them too much out of sight.

Key Takeaways:

Because San Francisco is comprised of hills, some residences have garages that are literally on a separate street.
Architect, Cary Bernstein, created a design to modernize an outdated San Francisco garage and transform it into a modern play area.
Some of the new play-enhancing features include a magnetized chalk board, folding doors and plenty of storage space.

“It could have been a Sheetrock box, but as the house’s most frequently used point of entry, it deserved the same architectural respect.”