For our A Taste of Modern project, we reimagined an open concept ranch in Portola Valley. This ranch renovation in the Bay Area brought warmth, art, and custom furnishings into a once-blank white box, creating a family home full of personality and comfort.

Designing an Open Concept Ranch for Family Living 

This home in Portola Valley, California, was a fantastic find for my clients! It was located in their ideal neighborhood, and we were actually in the process of designing a gut renovation when they came across this house and decided it was the home for them. 

While many people love the idea of an open-concept home, they can be tricky. This ranch-style home needed to feel as if each space was its own zone, but also coordinated seamlessly with one another. Additionally, our client was a young family, so the design must be durable enough for kids and pets while maintaining an elevated modern ranch interior design. 

The Answer: Balancing the grounded with the ethereal. 

It was essential to find a balance between the house’s ethereal vibes and the correct design selection for a sense of grounding for this modern ranch. Each element was curated, from custom furniture to perfectly sized art, to help us strike the right balance. 

These were wonderful clients to work with because they appreciated the detail of each piece I presented and how the pieces complemented each other.⁠ Additionally, they shared our passion for American craftsmanship, and we were able to commission several custom pieces for their ranch renovation. From the stately ebony credenza in the dining room to the solid birch bench in the mudroom to the hand-scraped bed frame in the primary bedroom, each piece was exquisitely crafted to embody the perfect blend of form and function. 

The Results: A family home with a taste of modern. 

While every space in this open concept ranch is gorgeous, it is also flawlessly functional. For instance, the family room is visible from the rest of the house, so it needed to be beautiful, comfortable, and serve as a movie room for the adults and a playroom for the child. 

The colors are vibrant, and nothing in this room is too precious—that ensures everyone has plenty of room for coloring, jumping on furniture to avoid lava, the occasional spill, and the inevitable falling asleep while watching a movie (classic parent move). ⁠

But let’s not forget that adults live here, and Mom and Dad deserve a design that also serves them. The hand-scraped bed, Japanese soaking tub, and cozy textiles are some elements we incorporated to make sure this design was adult-friendly, too. 

At MMID, we excel at blending multiple design styles to create a beautifully crafted space that expertly suits our clients’ visions. For A Taste of Modern, we created a transitional space with just the right balance of modern and Bohemian elements. We are so happy that the result is a gorgeous family home that suits all their needs.

Kind Words

“Melinda was able to understand and articulate our aesthetic right away and always brought samples and images that really appealed to us. She sourced beautiful items, both custom-made and ready-to-ship, which fit perfectly in our new home. I appreciate her enthusiasm for American craftsmanship and her eye for beautiful details. Melinda was flexible and easy to work with, and we always felt like her only client, even though I knew she had multiple projects happening at once.” – Cece

Special thanks to our vendors and trades 

Casey Johnson • Nickey Kehoe • Knoll • Lunaria • Silk Road Rug Inc • Chairish Co • Baker Furniture

This is McGuire • Block Shop Textiles • Two Sisters Ecotextiles • Tina Vaughn • Mineral Workshop 

Ready for Your Own Ranch Renovation in the Bay Area?

If you’ve been dreaming of an open concept ranch or a modern ranch interior design that reflects your lifestyle, we’d love to help. Together, we’ll create a home that balances function, beauty, and warmth.