Lars Remodeling Project

Lake-View Kitchen Remodel San Marcos

This San Marcos kitchen and living room remodel was designed to bring in natural light, open up the lake view and create calm, easy-to-maintain spaces for everyday living. A re-framed rear wall with two 12-foot sliders, a reconfigured kitchen with custom cabinetry, quartzite countertops and a walk-in pantry, and continuous sealed concrete floors make the home brighter, more functional and simpler to care for.

Kitchen Remodel San Marcos

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Remodeled San Marcos kitchen with a quartzite waterfall island, leather stools, walnut cabinets and black sliding doors opening to a lakeside deck

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Project Highlights

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Re-framing the structural rear wall made room for two 12-foot sliding doors. The new openings fulfill the homeowners’ main goal of maximizing the southern lake view and filling the home with natural light. The continuous sealed concrete floor and clean ceiling plane link the kitchen and living areas into one bright, open space. Moving between the indoors and the patio is now effortless. The artwork between the sliders sits under its own directional recessed lighting, a detail planned specifically for the homeowners’ collection.

Removing the old fireplace freed this wall for a clean media and art display. The space fits the quiet evenings of reading and relaxing the homeowners wanted their home to support. Ground and sealed concrete flooring runs through from the living room into the hallway and office, so the rooms read as one calm, easy-care surface. Recessed lighting on dimmable circuits lets the room shift from bright daytime living to a softer evening mood.

Extending the kitchen along the east-facing wall created room for a continuous run of custom cabinetry. Full-height panels and deep drawers keep storage organized and out of sight. A fluted panel conceals the hood, and the stone backsplash and floating shelf add a warm, natural texture that fits the homeowners’ organic-modern goals. The symmetrical layout around the cooktop reflects their wish for balance, and the flat, simple surfaces keep cleanup easy.

The new island is the hub of the kitchen. It brings together the sink, a quartzite waterfall counter and a built-in banquette for casual dining, which suits a couple who rarely entertains and values everyday function. Pendants light the sink area, and the light over the banquette table runs on its own dimmable circuit, so each zone can be lit for how it’s being used. The black sliders bring daylight and the outdoor view right up to the dining nook.

The Project Story

Designed for Daily Life

The homeowners loved their home’s lake view and the flow of its shared living spaces, but the kitchen and living room weren’t making the most of either. They travel often for work and prefer quiet evenings of reading and relaxing to large gatherings. They wanted rooms that felt calm, worked well and were easy to keep clean. They also wanted an organic-modern look, a sense of symmetry and as much natural light as possible.

Planning began with the kitchen, which was fully remodeled and reconfigured. The layout extends along the east-facing wall and centers on a new island. The island holds the sink and dishwasher, pull-out bins for trash, recycling and compost, and built-in seating. Custom cabinetry, quartzite countertops and a custom tile backsplash set a warm, natural palette. An appliance garage with its own outlets keeps everyday appliances plugged in but out of sight. A new walk-in pantry adds the storage the original kitchen lacked.

Lighting was planned around how the homeowners use each space. Dimmable circuits control the pendants over the island sink, a recessed light above the banquette table, the kitchen’s recessed lighting and the under-cabinet LED strips. At the entry, directional recessed spots light two pieces of the homeowners’ artwork. The electrical work also dealt with the home’s older fabric-covered wiring and loose outlets. Outlets that had been controlled by wall switches were rewired so every outlet stays powered.

The living room needed the most significant structural work. The existing fireplace was removed, and the rear wall was reconfigured and re-framed to take two new 12′-0″ x 6′-8″ black vinyl sliding doors. Opening that wall was central to the homeowners’ goal of capturing the southern view and filling the living space with daylight. Doors that size called for structural re-framing, not a simple door swap.

New ground and sealed concrete flooring runs through the living room, kitchen, hallway, office and gym. The continuous floor ties the rooms together and gives the homeowners the durable, easy-care finish they asked for.

The finished home feels open, bright and quietly organized. Wide sliders frame the view, the kitchen works efficiently, and well-placed lighting and storage keep daily routines simple. For homeowners who spend much of their time on the road, the remodel creates a restful, low-maintenance place to come home to.

Project at a glance

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