With our Book Club series, we hand over the proverbial mic to our Experts—letting them share their work, their thought process, and their best tips, all in their own words. The following is an excerpt from Heidi Caillier’s Memories of Home, published this month with Rizzoli.

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The intention for this three-story 1920s Bay Area Craftsman was to preserve as many of the original details as possible.

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The young owners consider themselves stewards and caretakers of this property. They wanted to respect the architecture of this redwood-shingle-clad house in a neighborhood where early Berkeleyans could sit on their porches and observe the construction of the first buildings that created the San Francisco skyline. They hired the same contractors who had worked on the house for years and were very conscientious about making interior alterations that felt authentic to the house.

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The couple has a deliberate, intentional lifestyle that I admire. As a child, the wife bounced between the French countryside and the vibrant Berkeley food scene, and that experience informed how she and her husband wanted to live and raise their own family. They really abide by the tenets of “slow living,”and love to work in the garden and make gorgeous meals together.

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The property, with its large terraced hillside garden, feels like it’s from an era when this lifestyle is more common. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect home for them. It’s like a private retreat nestled in the treetops, but it’s so close to the city, you can see the bay from the top-floor windows and each tier of the garden.

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Just inside the front door, there’s a nook with tall, multi-paned windows and built-in daybeds. It’s a spot for morning coffee, and to prepare for the day ahead. The main living area is divided into a sitting room in front of the fireplace and a listening room with a built-in bench we designed to mimic existing millwork. This is where they play records and enjoy the dappled sunlight that makes this property so special.

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Working with the dark wood tones of a Craftsman can be tricky. I find the contrast between the deep stain and white paint to be too stark. To make it a little less severe, we covered the frieze area above the paneling in linen. The ceiling in the dining room, between the beams, is painted blush pink for the same reason.

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I always want a house to feel like it was decorated with a mix of family heirlooms and inherited furniture, and unique vintage accents lend authenticity. The petite marble sink in the pocket-size powder room was an absolute must. It fits snugly in the corner, and is paired with a sweet block print pattern on the walls and the shade. The blue-and-white porcelain chandelier over the dining table actually is a family heirloom, and it works so beautifully in this room with the rush-backed dining chairs upholstered in a rich rose-toned linen.

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The garden room gets beautiful light and is surrounded on three sides by stunning views of the outdoors. It really is a lovely place to play a game of backgammon or curl up and read a book, and, like the rest of this unique and thoughtful home, it’s very reflective of the people who inhabit it.

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Buy Memories of Home and meet with Heidi to get personalized advice for your own home.