Marina Krueger, a Compass real estate agent, says she’s always on the hunt for a new opportunity.

“My sweet spot is finding a home that doesn’t need too much work, but enough to keep me busy and add value, and works for our family,” she said. “We lived in a house I remodeled in Corte Madera for two years. After we sold it, we moved into a rental in Larkspur while I searched for our next home and project.”

She found it last spring.

The three-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-story home with a vaulted ceiling was just the right size for her family of three, plus one dog and two cats.

Built along the Corte Madera Creek in the Larkspur Marina, it was infused with natural light and had a front-row seat to all the activity on the water.

“The home checked all the boxes for our family with the two most important being price and location,” she said. “The third very important box for me is being able to put my design touches on the house with it being a full-blown fixer.”

The four-month remodel included a refresh of the whole home with a new roof, flooring, windows, patio doors, vapor barrier, heat pump that provides air conditioning and heat, and an update on all the electrical panels and lighting.

The remodel of the 11-foot-by-11-foot kitchen, though, is her favorite.

“The kitchen was not only outdated but there was no overhead lighting and no storage,” she said.“My goal was to modernize it, and increase counter space and storage, and I wanted a natural bohemian vibe but with a modern twist. As a Realtor and designer, I like trying new things and being creative.”

She kept the existing wood plank ceilings brown, rather than painting them white, and painted the cabinets feral green — her favorite color — so the space would be a nod to the nature found outside her windows.

Although she appreciated the darker wood ceiling, she didn’t want a dark floor, so she chose a 6-inch wide white oak engineered wood plank with small knots to complement the wood ceiling and white walls.

For the custom high pressure laminate cabinetry, she turned to Open Standard in Oakland.

“The owner is a former Henrybuilt cabinetmaker,” she said. “The lead times were a little longer than I wanted but the cabinets were worth the wait. The craftsmanship is remarkable and I feel like our cabinets are sturdy and beautiful.”

To showcase the sparkling water view, upper cabinets on the sink wall were eliminated.

“I can stand in the kitchen with a sink full of dishes and feel a sense of calm when I see kayakers, seals and birds outside our window,” she said.

When it came to the hardware for the cabinets, she selected ledge pulls from Schoolhouse for a modern, sleek look — and she wanted them in bronze.

“I typically keep my fixtures in stainless or brushed stainless, as it’s timeless,” she said. “I’ll never choose black fixtures. I feel like faucets and fixtures are utilitarian and don’t need to be highlighted.”

Countertops are “Fresh Concrete” Cesarstone slabs that continue 10 inches up the wall for the backsplash, contributing to Krueger’s simple, no-fuss look.

A refrigerator from Fisher & Paykel fits the 30-inch space perfectly, and the Fisher & Paykel induction range suits her husband, the chef in the family, who “loves cooking on induction,” she said.

In what may be the biggest visual change to the kitchen, a new wall now divides the kitchen from the dining room.

A wine refrigerator was installed on the dining room side, and a small coffee station is on the kitchen side.

“I wanted to add dimension and color to the small area,” said Krueger, noting that wallpaper is less of a commitment than tile. “The green with gold accents brings in a modern touch and a bit of unexpected glam to the small niche.”

Flanking the coffee station are floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinets. They contain a mix of fixed and rolling shelves.

“We have so much storage now for food and serving dishes,” Krueger said.

Show off

If you have a beautiful or interesting Marin garden or a newly designed Marin home, I’d love to know about it.

Please send an email describing either one (or both), what you love most about it and a photograph or two. I will post the best ones in upcoming columns. Your name will be published and you must be over 18 years old and a Marin resident.

PJ Bremier writes on home, garden, design and entertaining topics every Saturday. She may be contacted at P.O. Box 412, Kentfield 94914, or at pj@pjbremier.com.