Resident Art
Location Berkeley, CA · Architect YamaMar Design · Contractor U-Unlimited · Photographer Bruce Damonte · Square Footage 4200
Project story
Minimalism meets art-loving funk for East Coast transplants, who wanted vibrant colors, handcrafted housewares, and modern furniture to complement the sparse backdrop of their classic California midcentury Berkeley home. The result is a series of connected spaces that leverage the home’s stunning bay views and original features. What began as a simple space-planning exercise evolved over five years into a full-scale renovation, yet it never wavered from the original brief—balancing the serene canvas of white walls with punctuated pops of color, texture, and craft.
A key inspiration was the home’s original cast concrete fireplace wall sculpture by local artist Martin Metal, whose tactile 1960s aesthetic set the tone for the interiors. The client’s expansive art collection, which ranges from Miro to Cindy Sherman, added visual richness and inspiration. The resulting spaces feel like art gallery interiors. Furnished with a highly personal collection, the interiors thoughtfully honor the principles of Berkeley architecture and design and midcentury style while still expressing the client’s modern point of view.
Cindy Sherman observes all.
Custom wallpaper by Black Crow Studios installed on the ceiling oozes over the scene.
A vintage Raymond Loewy dresser holds space for an Edward Burtynsky photograph.
A Gregory Crewdson photograph is thankful to be in this room and not that room.
Martin Metal's sculptural fireplace twists it's way out of the living room, like petrified smoke.
David Weeks sconces project from Emma Hayes wallpaper, like branches in the mist.
A Lumifer credenza clings to the wall, supporting a sassy vintage lamp with a big ego.
A Marset pendant hangs out with photographs by Lucy Raven.
The Tucker Robbins dining table surrenders to a gang of Jacques Guillon chairs.
