Our Castlewood Views project marks a fresh chapter for a Pleasanton couple. Empty-nesters, who purchased a new home with spectacular golf course views. With their children now grown but visiting often, they asked us to update the house from top to bottom—improving function, light, and flow—while creating an inviting place to entertain friends and welcome family home. What began as a primary suite remodel expanded into a whole-home transformation: reconfiguring an awkward bath for a 6'6" client, removing a massive two-story fireplace, and turning a cavernous lower level into a warm, speakeasy-inspired hangout.

Primary bath

The original primary bath functioned poorly, with a cramped shower and an oversized built-in tub that consumed nearly a third of the room. We relocated the shower, replaced the decked tub with a freestanding one, and raised the counters to comfortably suit our 6'6" client—all while preserving the extraordinary golf course views. Adjusting counter heights required modifying window locations, so we introduced a swing-out mirrored medicine cabinet and a dedicated makeup vanity to maintain both practicality and privacy. Marble surfaces, a high-contrast wood finish, heated floors, and a leaf-like light fixture above the tub combine to create a calm, quietly luxurious retreat.

Primary bedroom

In the primary bedroom, a dark, heavy sitting area once fought the view and felt disconnected from the refreshed bath. We lightened the palette, oriented the furnishings toward the windows, and layered in textiles that echo the bath’s airy sensibility. Because our client loves blue, we used soft tonal blues in the bedding, rug, and accents, grounding them with darker wood dressers and an organic metal side table. A unique silvery light overhead adds a gentle focal point, helping the room feel serene, bright, and cohesive with the spa-like bath next door.

Great room

BEFORE PHOTOS

On the lower level of Castlewood Views, the great room began with theater seating and a massive two-sided stone fireplace that visually shortened the space and emphasized its low ceiling. We removed a seating platform, reclaimed the footprint, and repainted the heavy trim so the eye could travel up, making the room feel taller and brighter. The fireplace turned out to be structurally significant and had to be removed not only downstairs but also at the level above, all the way through the roof framing, before being reframed correctly. Ultimately, the clients chose not to reinstall a fireplace there; instead, we designed a custom media wall with concealed speaker storage behind metal mesh doors, display niches, and hidden storage for blankets and games, anchored by a comfortable leather sofa, perfect for movie nights.

Bar

Adjacent to the great room, the bar kept its original footprint but received a complete aesthetic refresh. We repainted the cabinetry, rebuilt the back wall to improve storage, and added antique mirrors to bounce light into what had previously been a darker corner. Custom-lit shelves turn bottles into illuminated objects, so the collection itself becomes part of the visual story. By color-washing trim and doors in a cohesive palette, the entire lower level feels calmer and more unified, even with multiple activities happening at once. A wine-barrel pub table, added once photography was already underway, nods to the nearby Livermore Wine Valley and pairs effortlessly with the pool table for casual entertaining—always with those expansive golf course views just beyond the large doors and windows.

Powder bath

The powder bath was designed as a true “wow” moment. We wrapped the room—walls, ceiling, vanity, and custom shutters—in a deep, saturated blue and introduced an organic-patterned wallpaper for movement and depth. Brushed gold fixtures glow against the rich backdrop, giving the space a jewel-box quality. To balance the fluid pattern, we chose a mirror with squared, geometric corners, adding structure and keeping the room from feeling overly whimsical. The existing light fixture complemented the new design perfectly, so we kept it and allowed the surrounding updates to make it feel fresh.

Office

The office sits at one end of the lower level, near the bottom of the stairs and just off the main open area. We created it from what had been part of a larger office, giving our client a dedicated work-from-home space that still feels visually connected to the social zones. A built-in cabinet from the previous configuration was repurposed and painted in the project’s signature blue, tying this room back to others in the home. New flooring, a small sitting area, and three wall cutouts fitted with open transom windows allow light to move between the office and adjacent spaces. With most walls kept white and large doors on both sides, the room feels bright, focused, and intentionally designed for productivity.

Guest room

The guest room is quietly rooted in family history. Our client brought artwork from her mother’s Arizona home, and we used those desert pieces as inspiration for the palette. We layered earthy, vibrant accents over a neutral base so the room feels calm enough for guests while still full of personality. A textured rug, pillows, and an organic-feeling nightstand echo the colors and feel of the artwork without slipping into theme. Even with limited photography of the full space, the details reveal our goal for Castlewood Views: guest quarters that feel welcoming, meaningful, and completely at home within this updated, view-filled retreat.

Project Reveal: Castlewood Views