The interior core of an existing split-level house was opened to visually connect the spaces throughout the floors. Open riser stairs permit plentiful light into the home and allow full views of the multilevel space. Materiality is expressed with patterned concrete tiles running through each level and out onto the rear terraces. A ‘slot’ dormer pierces the attic to connect the original dormer location to a new window in the rear of the home. The reconfiguration of the upper level allows for a full bedroom, as well as pronounced vertical spaces in the dining and living room. The main bedroom extension over the garage created an indoor/outdoor porch and sitting room along with an exercise room to accommodate new goals.

Perched high in the Hollywood Hills, the house overlooks the city of L.A., the Lake Hollywood Reservoir and the “Hollywood” sign. The interior floor plan takes advantage of its siting with well-designed exterior terraces and expansive views while maintaining a small footprint. When the house passed from father to daughter, it underwent an extensive restoration and full renovation of the kitchen/staff wing. The design of renovated spaces blend in seamlessly by utilizing materials and details from the original house. A stunning backsplash of turquoise subway tiles was designed to echo the home’s exterior tile and shutter colors, and the ornate Terracotta tiles on the floor derive from elements of the home’s exterior paving. The west wall is composed of floor-to-ceiling millwork with glass panels that envelopes multiple appliances and includes a work station niche.

A renovation to this Fire Island retreat, located adjacent to sand dunes and facing the Atlantic, accentuates the relationship between the house’s volume, the swimming pool & deck. The new pool location and decks correlate with the simplified and upgraded interior spaces and focus on maximizing views toward the ocean. By responding to the original form and function of the original house, the new design provides privacy from beach go-ers and neighbors, while simultaneously allowing plentiful sunlight into the interior.

A simple shed addition to a 1940s Cape Cod house borrows the straightforward language of its counterpart and elevates it with sophisticated architectural details. The addition connects expanded family and entertaining spaces to the landscape and introduces a new master bedroom suite to the first floor. The centrally located kitchen aligns with an outdoor kitchenette and ipe-slatted deck, extending the entertaining space across the landscape. Flanking the kitchen, the new family room and screened porch’s angular, vaulted ceilings playfully engage the space. Traditional building components and finishes are thoughtfully placed on unexpected surfaces and in unconventional patterns and quantities. Inside, sentimental objects are interlaced with new architectural details. Together, the array of selected interior finishes weaves the old and new into a visually intricate, lived-in space.

A long thin vernacular form house runs parallel to the street as a “barrier” to isolate the private side of the property from a public recreation area. The main rooms of the house reside within the gabled form with focused views to the rear water side of the site with the support functions housed within the shed roof. To allow for views from the main living space to the stand of pine trees and the sunset, the house was ‘cracked’ open at the entry.

Exterior and interior renovations worked with the architectural massing in the redesign of this existing house. The exterior of the house was modified to accent the traditional details. The Interior spaces were altered to enhance the flow between rooms and to better accommodate a growing family of four.

Originally built in 1978, this California Ranch-inspired house was renovated to accommodate life in 2011. The interior’s complete facelift facilitated an easier flow between rooms while keeping public and private spaces separate. The strategic use of a masonry fireplace in the large living room transformed a large, open volume of space into several intimate seating areas. Relocated next to this space, the dining room and kitchen are connected to a private garden. The new fenestration reinforces the façade’s symmetry and provides framed landscape views.