Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Nov 20, 2025

A Beautifully Restored Midcentury in the Berkeley Hills

A Beautifully Restored Midcentury in the Berkeley Hills

Under the guidance of the home’s original architect, Tom Lowe, the current owners performed a 10-year renovation that includes a garage-turned-ADU.

Another slice of architectural history is up for grabs in the Bay Area. Dating back to 1975, the multilevel dwelling, originally designed by prolific architect Tom Lowe, sits nestled in the hills of Berkeley, California.



After acquiring the Berkeley home in 2011, current owners Kate and Casey McEachern renovated the space from top to bottom and even converted the garage into an ADU.

"This home adheres to the midcentury ethos of architecture blending with the environment," says Kate McEachern, who, along with her partner, Casey, purchased the property from the original owners in 2011. "We were stunned by the view of Claremont Canyon the first time we walked in."



The interior of the converted garage boasts matches the primary residence.

Throughout the last 10 years of ownership, the McEacherns have treated the residence to a thoughtful restoration-and even leaned on Tom Lowe for advice. "I reached out to him in 2017 and he surprised us by dropping by for an impromptu visit," says Kate. "We sat with Lowe for hours, probing him about the design process and why he made certain decisions."



"What makes the ADU special is that it is one of only about 20,000 Airbnb Plus homes globally," says Kate. The couple installed large horizontal windows to take advantage of the canyon views.



Patterned wallpaper adds vibrant color to the ADU’s otherwise all-white bathroom.

At three stories, the residence spreads across 2,314 square feet, and includes a garage that was converted into a turnkey ADU in 2015. "At the time, I was a senior designer for Airbnb Plus and our unit was certified as one of only about 20,000 Plus properties globally," states Kate. "The income from renting out the unit has covered the cost of our mortgage since the conversion, which allowed us to further invest in renovating and restoring the space."



A bold yellow door extends a warm welcome inside the main residence. "When we first visited the home, we were captivated by how well the forest-green exterior blended with the surrounding wooded environment," notes Kate.



The main entrance leads to the top floor, where a great room featuring an open floor plan awaits.

Drenched in natural light, the main residence offers an open floor plan, encompassed by extensive glazing which allows sweeping canyon views. Vaulted wood ceilings contrast with the surrounding white walls, creating an overall sense of openness and calm.



A textured tile wall elevates visual interest in the dining area, while a corner fireplace in the living room pays homage to the minimalism of the midcentury aesthetic.

"We wanted to preserve as many original details as possible to honor the architecture while modernizing the space," explains Kate. "We meticulously restored every inch of the home with period-specific details, like Concrete Collaborative terrazzo and Heath Ceramics tile." Other notable updates include a new roof, solar panels, and an electric vehicle charging station.



Another view of the living room showcases the home’s original post and beam construction.



A long terrace on the top floor extends the living spaces outdoors.

"For us, the architecture plus the location made it the perfect home," says Kate. "It's sited just a few minutes from Rockridge and Elmwood, but feels completely private and secluded with hiking trails at the end of the street." Keep scrolling to see more of the property, now listed for $1,399,000.



The galley kitchen comes with all new appliances, a ceramic backsplash, and plentiful storage.



An additional family room awaits off the kitchen-a space which can easily be converted into a breakfast nook or office area.



In total, the main residence features three bedrooms. The primary en suite presents a calming retreat, complete with ample closet space and a spa-like bath.



Another one of the bedrooms opens up to an additional terrace overlooking the landscape.



A view of the back facade highlights the home’s extensive glazing and outdoor space.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Caribbean Reparations Commission Seeks ‘Mutually Beneficial’ Justice from UK
EU Insists UK Must Contribute Financially for Access to Electricity Market and Broader Ties
UK to Outlaw Live-Event Ticket Resales Above Face Value
President Donald Trump Hosts Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at White House to Seal Major Defence and Investment Deals
German Entertainment Icons Alice and Ellen Kessler Die Together at Age 89
UK Unveils Sweeping Asylum Reforms with 20-Year Settlement Wait and Conditional Status
UK Orders Twitter Hacker to Repay £4.1 Million Following 2020 High-Profile Breach
Popeyes UK Eyes Century Mark as Fried-Chicken Chain Accelerates Roll-out
Two-thirds of UK nurses report working while unwell amid staffing crisis
Britain to Reform Human-Rights Laws in Sweeping Asylum Policy Overhaul
Nearly Half of Job Losses Under Labour Government Affect UK Youth
UK Chancellor Reeves Eyes High-Value Home Levy in Budget to Raise Tens of Billions
UK Urges Poland to Choose Swedish Submarines in Multi-Billion € Defence Bid
US Border Czar Tom Homan Declares UK No Longer a ‘Friend’ Amid Intelligence Rift
UK Announces Reversal of Income Tax Hike Plans Ahead of Budget
Starmer Faces Mounting Turmoil as Leaked Briefings Ignite Leadership Plot Rumours
UK Commentator Sami Hamdi Returns Home After US Visa Revocation and Detention
UK Eyes Denmark-Style Asylum Rules in Major Migration Shift
UK Signals Intelligence Freeze Amid US Maritime Drug-Strike Campaign
TikTok Awards UK & Ireland 2025 Celebrates Top Creators Including Max Klymenko as Creator of the Year
UK Growth Nearly Stalls at 0.1% in Q3 as Cyberattack Halts Car Production
Apple Denied Permission to Appeal UK App Store Ruling, Faces Over £1bn Liability
UK Chooses Wylfa for First Small Modular Reactors, Drawing Sharp U.S. Objection
Starmer Faces Growing Labour Backlash as Briefing Sparks Authority Crisis
Reform UK Withdraws from BBC Documentary Amid Legal Storm Over Trump Speech Edit
UK Prime Minister Attempts to Reassert Authority Amid Internal Labour Leadership Drama
UK Upholds Firm Rules on Stablecoins to Shield Financial System
Brussels Divided as UK-EU Reset Stalls Over Budget Access
Prince Harry’s Remembrance Day Essay Expresses Strong Regret at Leaving Britain
UK Unemployment Hits 5% as Wage Growth Slows, Paving Way for Bank of England Rate Cut
Starmer Warns of Resurgent Racism in UK Politics as He Vows Child-Poverty Reforms
UK Grocery Inflation Slows to 4.7% as Supermarkets Launch Pre-Christmas Promotions
UK Government Backs the BBC amid Editing Scandal and Trump Threat of Legal Action
UK Assessment Mis-Estimated Fallout From Palestine Action Ban, Records Reveal
UK Halts Intelligence Sharing with US Amid Lethal Boat-Strike Concerns
King Charles III Leads Britain in Remembrance Sunday Tribute to War Dead
UK Retail Sales Growth Slows as Households Hold Back Ahead of Black Friday and Budget
Shell Pulls Out of Two UK Floating Wind Projects Amid Renewables Retreat
Viagogo Hit With £15 Million Tax Bill After HMRC Transfer-Pricing Inquiry
Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack Pinches UK GDP, Bank of England Says
UK and Germany Sound Alarm on Russian-Satellite Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Former Prince Andrew Faces U.S. Congressional Request for Testimony Amid Brexit of Royal Title
BBC Director-General Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness Resign Amid Editing Controversy
Tom Cruise Arrives by Helicopter at UK Scientology Fundraiser Amid Local Protests
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson Face Fresh UK Probes Amid Royal Fallout
Mothers Link Teen Suicides to AI Chatbots in Growing Legal Battle
UK Government to Mirror Denmark’s Tough Immigration Framework in Major Policy Shift
UK Government Turns to Denmark-Style Immigration Reforms to Overhaul Border Rules
UK Chancellor Warned Against Cutting Insulation Funding as Budget Looms
UK Tenant Complaints Hit Record Levels as Rental Sector Faces Mounting Pressure
×