Transformed Tiburon home

Famous designer revamped two-bedroom

Michael McCutcheon had a few designers in mind when approaching a Tiburon resident looking to remodel. The homeowner believed she had already made a selection, but the head of McCutcheon Construction pressed her to meet with Bay Area designer John Wheatman in 2011.

Within minutes, Wheatman’s persona and pedigree put 537 Virginia Drive on the ideal track, McCutcheon said.

“Instead of pitching a bunch of additions, Wheatman focused on how she used the home and what made sense for her,” he said. “He added maybe 400 square feet but totally transformed the home.”

Wheatman provided signature touches in the form of round windows and smartly placed mirrors. The designer reconfigured the floor plan to maximize every dollar of the client’s budget, McCutcheon said.

Unlike other designers who wanted to tear out parts of the roof and expand, Wheatman moved interior walls, scrapped a bedroom and took out a fireplace in favor of a larger dining room, a den/TV room and doors connecting the main home to the carport.

“It’s remarkable for such a little house to have such a flexible use of space,” McCutcheon said. “That shows Wheatman’s brilliance.”

The sheltered carport now provides interior access to the home and includes a butler’s pantry, creating the possibility of an office or bonus room for its next owner.

Energy-efficient amenities were added as well. Pella windows with built-in shades control the interior’s exposure to natural light, and McCutcheon installed a heat recovery ventilator that brings fresh air into the home without having to open a window.

Wheatman strategically placed circular windows to frame views while blocking outlooks of neighboring homes. The guest bathroom features a circular window in its shower that looks out at the backyard. With a flick of a switch, the glass takes on an opaque tinge, providing total privacy.

Views are a way of life in Tiburon, and the Virginia Drive property offers vistas of Sausalito Harbor, the bay and Mount. Tamalpais. A curved wall in the entry maximizes views from the public space.

The home offers a wraparound ipe deck in front and a landscaped backyard with and ipe deck of its own, bluestone patio and drought-tolerant plantings.

“This project was a joy to work on,” McCutcheon said.

Listing agent: John Asdourian, McGuire Real Estate, (415) 3514699, jasdourian@mcguire.com; Sharon Faccinto, McGuire Real Estate, (415) 272-3799, sfaccinto@mcguire.com

“It’s more fun to work with a designer who wants to take chances than someone who plays it safe.”

Photos by Robert Vente Above: A curved staircase at 537 Virginia Drive in Tiburon ascends the front garden toward the entryway. Overhanging eaves shade the exterior of the Tiburon home. Below: A gas fireplace warms the light-filled living room.

Robert Vente The home at 537 Virginia Drive in Tiburon was remodeled in 2011 to create a more open floor plan and maximize views.

Above: Multiple sets of French doors open to a wooden deck behind the home. Below: The master suite accesses the wooden deck and drought-tolerant garden.