a modern
transformation
by Jessa Cast
I
A covered breezeway connects the garage with the home for protection from the elements.
A comprehensive remodel removes all traces of a midcentury Nob Hill home—except the glorious view
Paul W. Kenderdine Inc., pwki.com
Photographs by Amadeus Leitner
t all began with wanting to build a couple of additions onto their High Desert home. Fond of entertaining friends and family, real estate agent Donna O’Brien and her husband Gregg considered adding another bedroom, and maybe a swimming pool, to their house. But as they pondered the ramifications of building additions onto their existing home, an alternative idea started to brew: moving. Relocating to an urban setting appealed to the pair. Gregg really wanted to live in a “strolling” district, close to shopping and entertainment. Referring to the trails in their old neighborhood, he says, “We walked the hills up there, but we wanted to walk to something.” So the search was on for an urban house they could mold into a dream home. “We went in with the idea that this was going to be our last home,” says Donna. Unfortunately, the decision to move proved equally frustrating. Each house they encountered required extensive remodeling, and complicating their quest was the item at the top of their wish list: a great view—one at least equal to the vistas they’d enjoyed in High Desert. When a post-WWII–era adobe property in Nob Hill came on the market—one with
The interiors and exteriors follow a predominantly white palette, making the robin’s egg blue glass entry doors a delightful surprise.
It’s hard to imagine that this crisp, modernist home in Nob Hill was once a typical New Mexico–style adobe. It was resurrected by builder Paul Kenderdine in a style that honors the neighborhood’s midcentury roots.
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Left: Designed as a mother-in-law suite, a guest wing on the north side of the home has its own entrance, as well as its own deck—possibly the best vantage point in the home for enjoying the Sandia Mountains.
The northeast-facing views from the kitchen are spectacular, thanks to perfectly placed corner windows. Though striking, the gleaming stainless steel appliances from Sears and neutral, smoothfront cabinetry allow the real beauty of the room— the mountain vistas—to take center stage.
Right: With the pool and backyard the real focal points, clean simplicity is the order of business in the stripped-down living room, where a simple white stacked stone fireplace surround and a retro entertainment center from TEMA Contemporary Furniture are practically the only adornments.
a great, northeast-facing view of the Sandias—they knew they had to act quickly. This outdated home would also require protracted reconstruction, but there wasn’t time to draw up plans, or even to determine how expensive the renovation might be. So with nothing more than a view and faith in its potential, Donna and Gregg crossed their fingers and bought it. For a year the house sat untouched while the couple pursued the perfect design and the right builder, which they found was no small task. Gregg sketched the façade of their vision to share with potential builders (a treasure they have kept). After vetting builders to no avail, Gregg attended the Spring 2013 Homes of Enchantment Parade and happened upon a North Valley contemporary built by Paul Kenderdine of Paul W. Kenderdine Inc. With years of commercial and residential experience working with superstar architects like Antoine Predock, George Pearl, and Jon Anderson, Kenderdine was prepared for Donna and Gregg’s challenge. In the space of one discussion, Kenderdine caught their vision and asked if he could take a crack at it. “He came up with a basic design to see if he was on the right track,” says Donna. He was, which assuaged their worries. For Kenderdine, it was an opportunity to play with the midcentury modern aesthetic, for which market demand in Albuquerque is rising. At first there was a debate: Raze the existing house and start over, or commit to an extensive rebuild? With a laugh, Donna defines the final decision as “about as much as you can take down and still call it a remodel.” Kenderdine fashioned the new, larger home on top of the existing footprint, keeping only a few walls. But when the remodel was complete, little remained to remind Donna
Reminiscent of designs by midcentury California modernist architects like Joseph Eichler, Richard Neutra, and Donald Wexler, a breezeway adorned with just a touch of landscaping hints at the surprise—a lovely pool area— waiting at the other end.
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Left: Floor-to-ceiling glass doors and picture windows from Piñon Window & Door ensure sightlines from the entry straight through to the pool. Opposite: The striking Aspen White granite from Rocky Mountain Stone creates movement and drama in the otherwise crisp, orderly kitchen. A hidden exhaust hood rises from the island behind the stovetop when needed. The owners’ collection of vintage midcentury furniture, as in the dining room (below) helped to inform the renovation.
Taking a step back from the mostly white palette in the home, this powder room stands out in rich brown tones and distinctive modern fixtures from Golden Eagle Design.
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and Gregg of their home’s original incarnation. And that was no accident. “They wanted a resort feel,” says Kenderdine of the home’s see-through effect. In California modern fashion, a cantilevered roof and oversized windows and glass doors ensure a virtually unobstructed sightline from the swimming pool to the front porch; the preponderance of glass suffuses the sparkling white interiors with light (nary a light bulb is needed before dusk). The lot itself, equally stripped down and completely devoid of trees, allows for views of the sky above and the mountains to the northeast. Indoors, Kenderdine capitalized on the uninterrupted sightline to the Sandia Mountains by using butt-glazed windows from Piñon Window & Door in the kitchen. The gleaming contemporary kitchen is a showpiece, its focal point a blackand-white granite countertop, Aspen White from Rocky Mountain Stone. Initially, the busy patterning didn’t suit their style, but Gregg and Donna quickly embraced its striking visual texture and subtle sense of movement. It’s arguably the boldest feature in the house, a delightful contrast to the home’s clean lines and orderliness. Completing the kitchen are state-of-the-art appliances, including a hidden exhaust hood that rises vertically from the island behind the stovetop. Kenderdine says of his mentor, famed architect George Pearl, “George always made me have a reason for what I did. Everything has to have a purpose.” To this day he takes great pains with details that he suspects will likely never be noticed, but that matter to the overall harmony of a space. Carefully aligned grout lines and cleverly concealed outlets, a hidden pantry, a water feature centered for a grand entrance, Kenderdine’s signature skylights—it’s clear that every element is intentional and balanced, in both function and aesthetic. The house just feels good. “Gregg and Donna knew what they wanted and allowed me to take them to achieving their goals,” says Kenderdine. “They gave me a tremendous amount of freedom.” That freedom paid off in spades for the intrepid trio in a midcenturycontinued on page 60
Once Kenderdine installed one of his signature skylights over the wet bar, Donna felt it essential to use glass shelves, which allow the natural light to waterfall through them.
“[Architect] George Pearl always made me have a reason for what I did. Everything has to have a purpose.”—Paul Kenderdine
Sleek furniture and understated art and décor continue the midcentury vibe in the master bedroom. The master bath (above, left) is pure contemporary luxury, with a soaking tub set into more Aspen White granite.
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slash-California-modern masterpiece that, even as it distinguishes itself from a sea of traditional New Mexico–style homes in Nob Hill, still fits right into the retro vibe of the neighborhood. It took them a while to get here, but the journey was well worth it; Gregg and Donna are finally home. “A funny thing happened when we moved in here,” Gregg recalls. “We’d lived up there [in High Desert] for 15 years, and we liked it. But the day we moved in here, we slept here one night, and we just disconnected from that house and that area. No remorse, no missing it. It was just kind of shocking to both of us that we didn’t feel any kind of longing to be back there. Just in one night.”
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Above: A tiny mermaid presides over the pool, built by Hernandez Pool & Spa. The elegant, sharpcornered waterfall is a refreshingly contemporary spin on typical pool designs. In the shallowest area, chaise lounges can be set up in the ankle-deep water, and an umbrella opened for shade. SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM
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