Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Clunky Layout Reworked for a Comfortable Family Home
These before-and-after photos reveal a transformation from chopped-up to spiffed-up
After living in an apartment for several years, this Los Angeles couple went house hunting in a neighborhood they liked. In their diligent search, they stumbled upon a gem: a two-story house with more square footage than they’d expected to find in the area, plus a big backyard for their young son.
But the overgrown exterior featured a mishmash of architectural styles, thanks to a vaguely Tudor second-story addition. The interior was a warren of bedrooms and odd spaces, courtesy of the same addition, and the interior finishes probably had been last updated during the Reagan administration.
The couple turned to Los Angeles architect Linda Brettler to help clean up and modernize the exterior and the interior, and to infuse the house with their personal style.
But the overgrown exterior featured a mishmash of architectural styles, thanks to a vaguely Tudor second-story addition. The interior was a warren of bedrooms and odd spaces, courtesy of the same addition, and the interior finishes probably had been last updated during the Reagan administration.
The couple turned to Los Angeles architect Linda Brettler to help clean up and modernize the exterior and the interior, and to infuse the house with their personal style.
AFTER: Brettler streamlined the exterior by removing two of the smaller gables and squaring off the roofline. She also removed the protruding, angled chimney on the side of the house by installing a direct-vent fireplace in the downstairs living room and eliminating the second-floor fireplace altogether.
New mullioned windows reference older houses in the neighborhood. They’re clad in durable blue metal on the outside and wood on the inside to give character to the interior.
Fresh landscaping, stucco in a pale taupe shade, and a new walkway and entry porch give the home a welcoming curb appeal.
Windows: Kolbe Windows & Doors; stucco: Facade 257, Expo Stucco by Rhino Linings
New mullioned windows reference older houses in the neighborhood. They’re clad in durable blue metal on the outside and wood on the inside to give character to the interior.
Fresh landscaping, stucco in a pale taupe shade, and a new walkway and entry porch give the home a welcoming curb appeal.
Windows: Kolbe Windows & Doors; stucco: Facade 257, Expo Stucco by Rhino Linings
Inside, Brettler had most of the walls stripped to the studs, and the flooring and finishes replaced for a warm, simple look. She cleaned up the floor plan by expanding some openings between rooms and sealing others, creating better flow.
In the entry, the architect removed a small closet to enlarge the space. She designed a custom door with a mullion pattern that recalls Arts and Crafts designs.
Rug: Pottery Barn; bench: Target; mirror: West Elm; shade: The Shade Store
In the entry, the architect removed a small closet to enlarge the space. She designed a custom door with a mullion pattern that recalls Arts and Crafts designs.
Rug: Pottery Barn; bench: Target; mirror: West Elm; shade: The Shade Store
A new custom fireplace with a ceramic tile surround and a limestone hearth provides a focal point for the living room.
In the adjacent dining room, Brettler moved the entrance to the kitchen to create a more unified space.
New oak flooring throughout most of the house provides a warm and unifying stage for modern and traditional furnishings.
The homeowners worked with Brettler to place their existing new and vintage furnishings — such as the living room’s 1960s Avery Boardman sofa — to create a comfortable look for the interior. The palette is largely warm neutrals, sparked with dashes of color.
Fireplace: Heatilator; dark chair: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; occasional table, glass credenza and dining chairs: West Elm; dining table: Room & Board; dining light fixture: Jonathan Adler; shades: The Shade Store
In the adjacent dining room, Brettler moved the entrance to the kitchen to create a more unified space.
New oak flooring throughout most of the house provides a warm and unifying stage for modern and traditional furnishings.
The homeowners worked with Brettler to place their existing new and vintage furnishings — such as the living room’s 1960s Avery Boardman sofa — to create a comfortable look for the interior. The palette is largely warm neutrals, sparked with dashes of color.
Fireplace: Heatilator; dark chair: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; occasional table, glass credenza and dining chairs: West Elm; dining table: Room & Board; dining light fixture: Jonathan Adler; shades: The Shade Store
AFTER: During the course of buying and renovating the home, the husband, a music enthusiast, acquired a used Hamburg Steinway piano. Rather than having it take up space in the living room, Brettler suggested transforming the downstairs bedroom into a music room, with the piano as the centerpiece.
She enlarged the windows to add natural light and garden views, and installed molding to frame the walls, which are painted a deep purple-blue.
“The rich, saturated color gives the room character,” Brettler says. “The owners were not afraid of using color. They didn’t want a generic house. They wanted it to reflect their personalities.”
Area rug: Room & Board; ceiling lights: Rejuvenation; wall paint: Night Night, Dunn-Edwards
She enlarged the windows to add natural light and garden views, and installed molding to frame the walls, which are painted a deep purple-blue.
“The rich, saturated color gives the room character,” Brettler says. “The owners were not afraid of using color. They didn’t want a generic house. They wanted it to reflect their personalities.”
Area rug: Room & Board; ceiling lights: Rejuvenation; wall paint: Night Night, Dunn-Edwards
Built-in cabinetry in a corner of the room stores books and sheet music. A new glass door allows borrowed light to flood the adjacent hall.
Chair: Room & Board; shade: The Shade Store
Chair: Room & Board; shade: The Shade Store
AFTER: The renovated kitchen became lighter and brighter, and it opens up to the adjacent breakfast area and den.
Custom-designed maple wood cabinetry includes shelving for cookbooks. The island adds extra prep space. Brettler also designed a built-in banquette for the breakfast table.
Cabinetry: Manzano Cabinets; backsplash: Ann Sacks; appliances: KitchenAid; table: Rove Concepts; chairs and island pendant lights: Ikea
Custom-designed maple wood cabinetry includes shelving for cookbooks. The island adds extra prep space. Brettler also designed a built-in banquette for the breakfast table.
Cabinetry: Manzano Cabinets; backsplash: Ann Sacks; appliances: KitchenAid; table: Rove Concepts; chairs and island pendant lights: Ikea
The architect added new windows and doors to bring in light to the back of the house and to access a new backyard patio.
Black countertops: Caesarstone; sink: Franke; faucet: Mirabelle
Black countertops: Caesarstone; sink: Franke; faucet: Mirabelle
A full bathroom on the first floor once served the original bedrooms. With the renovation, there were no longer any bedrooms downstairs, so Brettler turned the bathroom into a powder room, adding interesting elements like patterned tile flooring and dark blue-gray cabinetry.
Cabinetry: Manzano Cabinets; countertop: Caesarstone; tile: Stone Source; sink and faucet: Kohler; pendant lights: Anthropologie; mirror: Ikea
Cabinetry: Manzano Cabinets; countertop: Caesarstone; tile: Stone Source; sink and faucet: Kohler; pendant lights: Anthropologie; mirror: Ikea
AFTER: Brettler opened up the staircase by adding wrought iron railings in a design inspired by the works of Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
She also cleaned up and expanded the existing skylight to cast more daylight into the stairwell and landing. She added clerestory windows to help bring light into the son’s bathroom at the top of the stairs.
She also cleaned up and expanded the existing skylight to cast more daylight into the stairwell and landing. She added clerestory windows to help bring light into the son’s bathroom at the top of the stairs.
Brettler tucked a reading nook with a daybed and storage at the upstairs landing. It has become a favorite place for the homeowners to read bedtime stories to their son.
Lights: Restoration Hardware
Lights: Restoration Hardware
AFTER: Removing the fireplace brought more wall space and better options for furniture layout. Taupe walls keep things cool and light.
The homeowners personalized the bedroom with vintage Heywood-Wakefield nightstands and a midcentury modern desk.
Bed: Room & Board; wall paint: Dangerous Robot, Dunn-Edwards; shades: The Shade Store
The homeowners personalized the bedroom with vintage Heywood-Wakefield nightstands and a midcentury modern desk.
Bed: Room & Board; wall paint: Dangerous Robot, Dunn-Edwards; shades: The Shade Store
AFTER: The architect removed walls in the master bathroom, creating a roomier, brighter space. Custom walnut wood cabinetry with quartzite countertops and a built-in dressing table provide function and plenty of storage.
Cabinetry: Manzano Cabinets; sinks: Kohler; faucets: Hansgrohe; basalt tile fooring: International Tile & Stone; stool: Ikea
Cabinetry: Manzano Cabinets; sinks: Kohler; faucets: Hansgrohe; basalt tile fooring: International Tile & Stone; stool: Ikea
Sleek, modern lines mark the upstairs guest bathroom.
Sink: Kohler; faucet: Moen; wall and floor tile: Full Circle Design Studio
Sink: Kohler; faucet: Moen; wall and floor tile: Full Circle Design Studio
The wife, a graphic designer, worked with Brettler to come up with the vivid chevron tile pattern in her son’s bathroom.
“We had some fun in this space,” Brettler says. “We wanted it to be playful for the son yet not too childish, so he wouldn’t outgrow the design.”
Bathtub: Americh; sink: Kohler; faucets: Hansgrohe; tile: Imagine Tile
“We had some fun in this space,” Brettler says. “We wanted it to be playful for the son yet not too childish, so he wouldn’t outgrow the design.”
Bathtub: Americh; sink: Kohler; faucets: Hansgrohe; tile: Imagine Tile
New orange cabinetry in the second-floor laundry room makes for an invigorating spot to handle mundane chores.
Appliances: Electrolux; cabinet paint: Orangeville, Dunn-Edwards
Appliances: Electrolux; cabinet paint: Orangeville, Dunn-Edwards
AFTER: The new second-floor plan shows the reconfigured bathrooms and bedrooms.
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple — he’s in real estate; she’s a graphic designer — and their young son
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 3,050 square feet (283 square meters); three bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Designer: Linda Brettler Architect
BEFORE: Based on other homes in the neighborhood, Brettler and the homeowners believe that the original house may have been a Spanish Revival cottage built in the 1920s.
“Some time in the 1980s, someone added a weird second-story addition,” Brettler says, “which looked like a box in back and had multiple gables in front. They also bumped out the fireplace chimney on the side of the house when they added a fireplace for the second-floor master bedroom.”
What’s more, the home had already been stripped of any vintage or historic architectural details. “There was nothing worth saving,” Brettler says. “Our challenge was to clean up the design and to add in some traditional details to reflect the history of the neighborhood while keeping things modern enough for family living.”