Modern kitchen with light wood cabinets, white countertops, gray upper cabinets, and two white hanging pendant lights.

Brunswick Residence

Atwater Village, Los Angeles, CA
Residential / Interior Renovation
1,163 SF
Private
Completed

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How can you transform a modestly sized residence into a bigger and more distinctive home without adding additional building area?

This was the challenge posed by the clients about their quaint, but overly compartmentalized and decidedly unremarkable 1940’s house. Their desire to maintain the backyard (for lush garden space and an ADU), paired with the reality of tight budgetary constraints, necessitated that the scope of work be focused within the existing 1,160 sf footprint. The clients requested an additional bathroom, a larger kitchen, plentiful storage, and seamless flow between spaces. Architectural sleight of hand was deployed to conjure up more space within the available envelope.

Interior view of a modern kitchen with large sliding glass doors opening to a backyard patio with plants and a small shed.

Large doors fold away for a seamless transition between the dining room and backyard.

To meet the clients needs, the inefficiencies of the plan had to be addressed. The walls separating the kitchen, dining and living spaces disappeared, allowing the kitchen to become open and generous.

Open-concept living and dining area with wooden accents, a dining table with four chairs, a bookshelf, and a gray sofa. Natural light from a skylight illuminates the space.

A high vaulted ceiling defines the central dining space.

Interior view of a room with light wood built-in cabinets and shelves, a white hanging pendant light, a small table with drawers, part of a dining table, and a woven chair, with a window showing trees outside.

The maple plywood cabinetry and vaulted ceilings provide natural warmth to the material palette throughout the house.

A dual-sided cabinetry volume between the kitchen and living room provides necessary separation, but functions more like an object within one open space, as opposed to a stark division.

Interior of a modern, minimalist living space with light wood accents, a shelf with books and decorations, a sofa with blue pillows, and a view of a kitchen with large windows and hanging lights.

The cabinetry volumes houses storage and the laundry unit.

A modern bathroom with a bathtub built into a tiled surround, a showerhead, small potted plant, and wooden paneled ceiling with a skylight and a window.

The natural tones of wood, sandstone and warm-gray tile in the primary bathroom evoke a sense of calm and tranquility.

Modern bathroom with double sink vanity, potted plant, decorative hanging art, and view into a bedroom with blue bedding and gray curtains.

Beyond literal space planning, the design utilizes experiential space planning to peel back the curtain and reveal the architectural qualities of unutilized attic space. Two new vaults (over the dining room and the primary bathroom) vanquish the monotony of the 8-foot ceilings throughout the original house and increase the perceived sizes of the rooms. The drama, light, and airiness provided by the wood-clad vaults creates the illusory experience of a much more expansive and dynamic interior.

Wooden built-in closet with side open doors revealing clothes, and a set of drawers in the center, next to a bed with a blue blanket and a white vase with purple flowers on a nightstand.

In the primary bedroom, the entrances to a walk-in closet and the primary bathroom are integrated within a wall of cabinetry.

A colorful shower with pink and green tiles, a square shower drain, a built-in niche with a green plant, and a skylight.

The colorful tile in the guest bathroom is a whimsical counterpart to the primary bathroom.

Modern house with blue exterior, steps leading to a screened porch, potted cacti, and landscaped yard with paving stones.

The roof line was simplified along the rear of the house, and larger windows and doors open the interior spaces to the private garden.

Further, special attention was paid to the relationship of the house to the rear yard. A large corner window in the kitchen and floor-to-ceiling doors in the dining room are separated by a single wood post and together they break open the rear facade. By obscuring the distinction between interior and exterior, the new design celebrates the rear yard amenities.

Existing and Proposed Plans

Sections

Enlarged Sections of the Vaulted Ceiling

Photos from before and after the renovation.