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

"We decided to open up the atrium before we even moved in, which was enough of a step to help give us a sense of the potential of the home," she continues. After consulting with numerous architects and interior designers for advice and guidance, the duo were able to hone in their vision and put their plans in motion.

Before: The Living Room

"We decided to focus on the key areas that would elevate the house and bring back the Eichler feel. After opening up the atrium, fixing up the pool and the backyard was essential," Rojas explains. "We also wanted to install a new modern kitchen, which felt like the central gathering place in the home. Lastly, we felt that remodeling the master bathroom, vanity area, and guest bathroom would complete the experience."

After: The Living Room

"Being designers allowed us to put some of our skills in practice to pre-visualize our ideas," says Rojas. For example, her partner Jason was able to model the house in 3D, which allowed the couple to get to know every detail of the space. "For quick design iterations, we worked in Photoshop building on top of 3D renders or photographs to find the right house colors or mock up landscaping ideas."

"In the end, we felt we were able to honor the midcentury style of the house by removing the extra layers and modernizing the common areas with details that felt current yet true to the Eichler aesthetic," concludes Rojas. Now that the restoration is complete, the couple are ready to hand over the keys to a new buyer that's eager to appreciate the architectural beauty of the space. Keep scrolling to see more before & after photos of the home, which was recently listed for $1,550,000.

Before: The Dining Room

After: The Dining Room

Before: The Kitchen

After: The Kitchen

After: Bedrooms, Baths, Living Areas, and Outdoors

8010 Shay Drive in Oakland, California, is currently listed for $1,550,000 by Cheryl Berger of Compass.

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