Located on San Juan Hill on the Stanford campus, this historic home was originally designed by architect Birge Clark. Now, it’s home to author and Stanford Professor of Medieval History, Fiona Griffiths and her family. Fiona and her husband purchased the 1926 English Tudor home with hopes of creating an inspiring environment where their multi-cultural family would flourish, and to create a space where they could host Stanford music recitals, or invite students to come for dinner, relax, and play music together. (Not to mention, the couple’s 3 children also play piano, bagpipes, and the violin.)

Unfortunately, the home was quite rundown when they moved in, so they called upon interior designer, Linda Sullivan and her team at Sullivan Design Studio to incorporate a modern aesthetic that honored the original design and materials from previous decades. “The previous family had done some small remodels, but overall, it was in the original 1927 condition,” Linda recalls. “It was in need of a huge undertaking to make this home breathe new life for its current homeowners.”

Fiona and her family wanted to preserve the historical aspect of the home without compromising modern living. “The home was remodeled and completely gutted to the studs, the back was extended, and the shell of the home was lifted to add a livable basement,” Linda says. She and her team developed a design palette focused on finding authentic and timeless materials such as a carved limestone fireplace mantel and surround in the living room and statuary marble and black Vermont leather granite in the kitchen. Of course, there are also modern choices like floor-to-ceiling windows and steel doors, and a blend of high-end modern art, furniture and fixtures alongside accessible pieces. Finally, Linda honored the client’s vegetarian and ethical beliefs and eliminating all leather, suede and furs from the design.

In the slideshow, Linda shares more about the design choices. As for the family? “We love spending time on the main level—everywhere from the kitchen to the family room and living room, as well as the foyer and deck—thanks to the view and flow of the home that brings the lovely California landscape inside and perfectly frames our unique view of the Stanford Dish”, Fiona concludes.