The Interiors of This White Picket Fence Home Felt Stale—See How It Was Revamped

It had strong bones, but blah design choices.

Exterior Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors

R. Brad Knipstein

Written by Sarah Yang February 4, 2026

From the outside this Cape Cod-style home in Menlo Park, California (complete with a white picket fence) looked picture-perfect, but its interiors were lacking.

Exterior Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
The home’s exterior was charming but its interiors were lacking.

R. Brad Knipstein

“The house carried with it a certain grace from the start—hardwood floors, classic crown moldings, and California window shutters in some rooms,” says Madeleine Mahoney of MEM Interiors. “But while the bones were strong, the interiors felt dated and stale. The design narrative of the home needed to be re-envisioned for its new owners.”

The homeowners—a couple with three young children—wanted to renovate the heart of the home, the kitchen, and the common spaces surrounding it. 

Kitchen in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
The kitchen was the main priority during the renovation.

R. Brad Knipstein

“The clients dreamed of a space that felt both functional and fluid, where daily life and entertaining could unfold seamlessly,” Madeleine explains. “To achieve this, we introduced a sweeping three-panel glass slider that dissolves the boundary between indoors and out. Now, the open concept kitchen—family room opens effortlessly onto a a wisteria-draped barbecue pavilion, a stone fireplace, and grassy lawn for kids to run around on.”

Living Room in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
“The collaboration was rooted in storytelling—how to craft a home that felt distinctly theirs,” Madeleine says of working with her clients.

R. Brad Knipstein

Madeleine was determined to honor the architectural legacy of the four-bedroom, four-bathroom home, while updating and modernizing its fixtures and finishes. The design features a nod to the clients’ Memphis roots, but also emphasizes clean and modern lines. And since three young children also live there, practicality and durability was top of mind.

Dining Room in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
We preserved the millwork and crown detailing—those quiet gestures of craftsmanship that deserved to remain center stage—while replacing heavy shutters with tailored window treatments that soften the rooms and invite the light to pour in,” explains Madeleine.

R. Brad Knipstein

The classic millwork and crown detailing were preserved throughout, but the heavy shutters were replaced with tailored window treatments. 

Kitchen Island in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
“At the core of the project was our clients’ desire to renovate the heart of the home—the kitchen—and the common spaces that orbit around it,” Madeleine says. “The clients dreamed of a space that felt both functional and fluid, where daily life and entertaining could unfold seamlessly.”

R. Brad Knipstein

The big renovation—the kitchen—consisted of expanding its footprint and creating an open flow between the space and the breakfast nook and family room.

Coffee Bar in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
The new dedicated coffee bar.

R. Brad Knipstein

Dining Nook in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
Decorative lighting, wallcoverings, and bespoke furniture give the common spaces polish and warmth.

R. Brad Knipstein

“The layout was completely reimagined to incorporate a dedicated coffee bar and professional-grade, panel-ready appliances, paired with new decorative lighting, wallcoverings, and a bespoke furniture package to finish the common spaces with polish and warmth,” Madeleine says. 

Family Room in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
“We modernized the fireplace mantle and stone surround, ensuring it spoke to the existing wainscoting paneling we loved and preserved,” says Madeleine.

R. Brad Knipstein

The formal living room underwent a subtle transformation. They modernized the fireplace mantel and drenched the room in Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue. The custom rug grounds the sofa, and touches of rust is woven into the textiles and artwork.

Primary Bedroom in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
The primary bedroom features a bold headboard.

R. Brad Knipstein

Upstairs, there are three new bathrooms, which includes the one in the primary suite. “We removed a dated Jacuzzi tub with its oversized surround and introduced a sculptural freestanding tub to achieve an airier, more elevated feel,” Madeleine says. “A wall-to-wall custom white oak vanity and an entirely new closet were crafted within the existing footprint, maximizing every inch. By reorienting the bed, we unlocked previously wasted square footage.”

They removed an outdated Jacuzzi tub in the primary bathroom. “A wall-to-wall custom white oak vanity and an entirely new closet were crafted within the existing footprint, maximizing every inch,” adds Madeleine.

R. Brad Knipstein

The home now has interiors that match its charming exteriors, reflecting the owners’ personalities and design styles. 

Patio in Cape Cod House by MEM Interiors
The inviting backyard.

R. Brad Knipstein

“We loved the traditional character of the home and wanted to preserve that charm, while bringing in a cleaner, more modern feel,” the owners says. “The renovation strikes that perfect balance—it still feels like the house we fell in love with, just brighter and more livable.”

Styling: Yedda Morrison Studio
Design Consultant: Anne Corgan
Landscape Design: Erin Werner

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