When Ann and Alec Peters of Kenwood sought to transform the family home they’ve lived in since 1994, they turned to Sonoma designer Stephanie Meyer of AVCO Design. Meyer designed a “gentle” transformation of the circa-1940s dwelling where the Peterses raised their children. Refreshed, the home welcomes those children, now grown, and their young families for more memory-making visits and holidays.
The heart of the home’s remodel is the dining area, where the family likes to gather for treasured mealtime, conversation, poker games and more. It was fitting, then, to have the couple’s son Ross — of Ross Peters Woodworking in Oakland — design the table.
Using steel wool and vinegar to activate the wood’s tannins, Peters created a striking ebony-hued varnish. The dark, turned-leg table stands in grand contrast to the airy-but-rich palate of cream and yellow. Modern brass-and-glass lights offer a sharp topper to the transitional look. The look is balanced with a lightening of the floor — European white oak planks replaced a red Saltillo tile.
In the kitchen, Meyer said, “we bounced light by painting the knotty pine cabinetry.” The continuation of herringbone European oak floors from the dining room into the kitchen creates, in Meyer’s words, “a dynamic rhythm connecting the renewed gathering spaces.”
Upstairs, the unoccupied “teenager” rooms were transformed to accommodate visiting families. A closet creates an alcove for a handsome wood toddler bed. Yellow horses give a playful element that’s balanced by mature patterns in denims with a range of hues.
“It is truly a home for generations,” Meyer said.