Renowned Bay Area architect Henry Higby Gutterson had a distinctive approach to design in the early 20th century, setting him apart from his contemporaries. While others of his time were blending rustic elements with sleek, machine aesthetics, Gutterson drew inspiration from English Tudors, Irish cottages, French Beaux Arts, and Swiss chalets. Rather than imitating Californian styles or European designs, he skillfully merged the two, creating homes that, while not revolutionary, stood out for their balanced proportions, livability, and seamless integration with the surrounding landscape—qualities appreciated over time.
In 2018, an art collector from Singapore and his new wife discovered a 1936 Gutterson house overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Enchanted by its mahogany ceiling beams, French Tudor detailing, and the fusion of California-modern materials, the couple decided to purchase the house as a summer retreat for their family of five.
Despite the enduring charm of the Gutterson house, renovations were essential to bring it into the 21st century. The dining room’s raised platform was causing visibility issues, the primary bedroom suite and attic layout needed optimization, and the discovery of a natural spring in the basement demanded attention. The couple enlisted architect Ani Wade from Wade Design Architects and local interior designer Lauren Geremia for the transformation.
During the initial walk-through, Wade was captivated by the boat-like ceiling with warm wood, sprawling beams, and trusses—a nod to Gutterson’s passion for sailing. The decision to preserve this unique feature was unanimous. Wade’s team undertook significant changes, unifying the dining and living areas, lowering the dining space for better views, and installing a new steel stairway to connect the second-level suite with the attic. The primary focus was improving the home’s connection to the surrounding landscape, emphasizing panoramic views. Original lead windows from the 1940s were replaced while adding more windows to showcase the stunning 180-degree views, including modern steel windows that open to a porch overlooking the bay. The result was a transformation that unveiled the breathtaking scenery at every turn.
As the coastal residence underwent its transformation from a construction site to a livable dwelling, interior designer Lauren Geremia was immersed in a unique creative process. In 2020, amid the height of the Covid pandemic, she found inspiration while watching movies. With a projector set up in her house, Geremia and her team watched numerous films, not merely for leisure but as a deliberate part of the design process. Film sets often serve as a significant influence on Geremia’s designs, with a focus on visuals rather than the dialogue. She describes how she pays attention to the aesthetics and scenes, using these cinematic experiences to shape her creative vision.
Lauren Geremia’s vision for the Bay Area house solidified after watching “Call Me by Your Name,” drawing inspiration from the film’s vivid portrayal of a cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera. Enchanted by the greens and yellows in the movie, Geremia mixed gouache in her studio to create the perfect palette. The result is a house where every room showcases a variation of green and yellow, exploring unique combinations of these colors. The kitchen features a mint green-upholstered banquette against desaturated lime-colored walls, while a vintage hand-knotted Tibetan tiger rug from 1stDibs adds character to an attic dormer window. The powder room is adorned with green-and-yellow de Gournay wallpaper against marble furnishings. Given the house’s status as a secondary residence, Geremia enjoyed creative freedom, introducing items with idiosyncratic stories, such as a wooden bathtub from a Scottish artisan and platform beds for the kids in the basement bedroom.
