Before & After: Another A. Quincy Jones Eichler Is Returned to Its Former Glory in Oakland

When a historic Eichler popped up on the market three years ago in Oakland, California, designer Indhira Rojas, along with her partner, Jason, immediately put in an offer with a shared mission in mind: to restore the home to its original splendor. Sited on a large lot in the “Lost Eichler” neighborhood of Oakland, California (an enclave that contains the only Eichlers in the area), the double-gable house was designed by famed architect A. Quincy Jones in 1965. Yet as a result of previous renovations, the property had regrettably lost touch with much of Jones’s original design.

“Our main goal was to return the space to its timeless design,” explains designer and current homeowner Indhira Rojas. “The previous owners had enclosed the open spaces, leaving the atrium, pool, and backyard completely covered. Fortunately, the simplistic layout hadn’t been altered much, so it became clear that if we just removed a lot of these layers, we could restore the house to its original intent.”

Before: The Front Entry

While the plan seemed fairly straightforward, the process was anything but short and easy. “On the advice of our friends, we took our time to live in the house and get to know it before making any big renovations,” says Rojas. “As typical designers, we started with a research deep-dive, and became obsessed about all things midcentury-modern. We read about Eichler and the architects who collaborated with him, specifically A. Quincy Jones who designed the model of our home. We went on multiple midcentury home tours in the area and in Palm Springs, and, filled our Pinterest boards with inspiration.”

After: The Front Entry