Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Modern Bungalow’s Reverse Floor Plan Highlights Views
A kitchen, great room and outfitted deck make the top floor of this Los Angeles house the place to be
To maximize beach views and ocean breezes, Laney designed a cantilevered roof, now integral to the covered deck space on the topmost level of the house. “Large steel beams, clad in wood, made this special feature possible,” the architect says. “The balcony walls alternate between solid surface — to create privacy — and transparent glass railings, to capture the view of the ocean.”
Laney also leveraged the opportunity for a reverse floor plan and put the main living spaces on the top level. “It’s the Southern California living room,” he says, “the perfect outdoor yet sheltered space.”
Natural stone tile covers the top-floor balcony. The solid low wall conceals the outdoor sofa. The sliding glass door assembly is made by Euroline Steel Windows & Doors. The fireplace is covered in Canadian stone.
Find more outdoor sofas for your home
Natural stone tile covers the top-floor balcony. The solid low wall conceals the outdoor sofa. The sliding glass door assembly is made by Euroline Steel Windows & Doors. The fireplace is covered in Canadian stone.
Find more outdoor sofas for your home
The glass-walled portion of the top-level outdoor living space provides views of the ocean. The ceiling is tongue-and-groove wood siding painted a high-sheen white. Slots cut into the roof cast patterns across the floor throughout the day.
The kitchen is also on the upper level of the house, off the outdoor living space, and opens to the living and dining area. “This way we could do vaulted ceilings and get the best views,” Laney says.
The kitchen cabinets are painted wood. The floors are hand-sanded reclaimed French oak. The counters are all quartz. “We put an emphasis on robust raw materials working in harmony with reclaimed oak floors, metal windows and wonderful natural stone,” interior designer Rini Kundu says.
The kitchen cabinets are painted wood. The floors are hand-sanded reclaimed French oak. The counters are all quartz. “We put an emphasis on robust raw materials working in harmony with reclaimed oak floors, metal windows and wonderful natural stone,” interior designer Rini Kundu says.
A landing on the stairs leading to the lower levels contains a small office space. “The reclaimed French oak floors create a wonderful sensation underfoot,” Kundu says. The stair rails are round steel poles with oak handrails.
The master suite is on the second level. (The front door of the house is also on this level.) The space features bold pops of lavender and hot pink and includes a balcony with ocean views.
“In my search for interesting cabinetry, I found a wonderful Brutalist cabinet that I wanted to re-create as a sink in the master bath,” Kundu says. The chunky Calacatta marble sink sits atop stainless steel legs. A graphic floor tile adds visual interest to the sleek white space.
On the home’s lowest level is a sports court covered in artificial grass. It provides a play spot for the kids when the weather isn’t cooperating.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with three children
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Size: Four bedrooms
Designers: Architect Anthony Laney of Laney LA and designer Rini Kundu
On a tight infill site that slopes to the beach, architect Anthony Laney designed a four-level home with a gabled roofline and beefy engineered-wood facade, softened by traditional windows and Canadian stone. “The home emerges from the sloped street, lifting your eye to the distinct roofline and expansive deck below,” Laney says. “The result is a modern interpretation of the gabled beach bungalow.”