Designer Regan Baker recently took on the task of renovating a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo in San Francisco’s bustling Nopa neighborhood. The clients, a young tech couple buying their first home, hired Regan during the demolition process — so she (quite literally) had her work cut out for her.

First things first, the 1062 square foot property needed some light to be let in. “The kitchen cabinetry created a separation between the front of the main living space and the back/exterior space,” Regan explains. “They wanted to open up the space so you could see from front to back, rather than having a walled in kitchen. They also really loved the idea of utilizing the outdoor space often for entertaining, so having a door that connected the indoor and outdoor space was essential.” Additionally, they hoped for a dreamy guest bedroom that would welcome out of town guests.

As with many renovations, timing was of the essence. “They really wanted the project completed so they could finally move in together and he could move off of the couch in his brother’s apartment,” Regan says. As a result, her team was limited to only using products they could get quickly. There was also smaller budget (the duo didn’t consider this their forever home). All of this might typically add up to disaster, but Regan executed the entire design process with ease — and the finished home is stunning.

“Our favorite area is probably the entry/living room,” she explains. “Not only does the painting have a lot of meaning to the couple, but it was really fun to overcome the challenge of the slanted ceiling, and create a space with even more warmth and architectural interest. Sometimes when you’re faced with difficult preexisting conditions on a job site it forces you to be even more creative, and we love how this space turned out. It sets the tone for the remainder of the space to have a natural and inviting feel.”

For a tour, including renovation details, start the slideshow.