ABOUT THE PROJECT

This charming house in Tujunga California, in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, was purchased by a young couple with a baby on the way. Built in 1948, the two-bedroom, one bath single-story structure offers lots of privacy and stunning views, exactly what the family was looking for in a home that would become their sanctuary. But measuring just 1350 s.f., its small size presented a challenge in remodeling the residence to accommodate the growing family and its needs. Fortunately, the new owners are true minimalists who enjoy having a pared-down, simple lifestyle.

The intent of the design was to preserve the home’s mid-century character but eliminate the rustic “cabin in the woods” feel. We began by stripping off the wood paneling on the walls and replacing it with drywall. We retained the tile flooring in the front of the home and family room, and installed 4” European oak floor panels in the living room and bedrooms for a clean, modern feel.

There is so much spectacular greenery outside, visible from the living room in particular, that the interior needed to be neutral and muted so as not to compete visually with the exterior. This approach is reflected in the living room design, which includes a custom-made coffee table and 1950’s French lounge chairs that also capture the mid-century look. Finally, we scattered vintage rugs from Morocco for added comfort, warmth and texture.

The house features a lovely outdoor area, including a covered deck off the living room and a swimming pool. Although the owners planned to have many of their meals outside, taking in the stunning view, they quickly realized that they needed a place to eat indoors. The house lacked a formal dining room, so we created a dining area in a pass-through space outside the kitchen, with the help of a custom shoji screen to separate it from the family room. We replaced the dated breakfast bar in the kitchen with a gorgeous contemporary onyx counter. The leather Memphis 9 chairs designed for Knoll by Ettore Sottsass are the perfect complement for the space.

Before…