Before: Dining room

McConnel boldly banished many interior walls of her 1900s Oakland Craftsman. Now this dining room space is part of a combined kitchen, dining area, living space, and home office (previous page).

“I love that we can entertain with kids in the breakfast nook, and grown-ups in the dining area or living room,” says McConnell. “It works for everybody. It’s not just a grown-up house.”