This One-Story House Has Sky-High Style

For years Mandy and Andrew Fisher lived in a traditional two-story house in Portland, OR, with plenty of room for them and their three kids. But when they relocated to Lafayette, CA, they discovered that two-floor homes in the Bay Area were few and far between. No problem: “We liked the idea of everyone being together on one level,” says Mandy. “We just didn’t want to be crashing into one another!”

They settled on a barely updated 1965 ranch house, with big visions for it. First up: blowing out its 2,100 square feet to 3,100. They also created an open common area and raised the low ceilings in the living room, dining room, and master bedroom.

Designer Jeffrey Neve made sure the home’s style was as impressive as the expanded floor plan he helped with. He kept the walls neutral, then brought in sophisticated-yet-simple furniture, revved up accessories, and distinctive lighting. Now their place feels like it’s just the right size, with all the right stuff—even with the addition of two dogs. Says Mandy, “It’s gorgeous and spacious, and we’ve never once missed having a second floor.”

Shaker-style cabinets painted white (Swiss Coffee by Kelly-Moore) and gray-veined Silestone quartz countertops are timeless, while the graphic terra-cotta tile backsplash by Tabarka Studio is a standout.

“The black-and-white palette makes the pattern not so busy,” says Mandy. Turned legs and an espresso stain give the island—home to 7-year-old Vivian’s Play-Doh marathons—the look of freestanding furniture. The stools are from Arteriors Home.

A grand ceiling calls for a glorious fireplace. The Fishers had the original brick one re-covered in stone veneer; the mantel is made from an old fence that was on the property.

“It’s important to us to keep the spirit of the home alive,” says Mandy. She loves how the clear chairs by Zuo that surround the table play off the glass chandelier by Robert Abbey. A lively teal rug from Uttermost (almost) steals the show.