This 1940s house had been renovated several times, which resulte…
This 1940s house had been renovated several times, which resulted in a mishmash of styles. The homeowners had lived in the house for eight years and considered moving, but liked their existing location. They approached Griffin Enright Architects, in Los Angeles, for an open, modern renovation. The designers replaced the two existing bay windows with glass-front cubes encased in concrete board.
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To combine the courtyard sections into a single cohesive space, …
To combine the courtyard sections into a single cohesive space, architect Margaret Griffin removed a center wall. Telescoping doors in the living room help extend the living space into the courtyard, with an easy flow from the living room to the dining room to the fire pit.
Benny Chan / Fotoworks
Architect Margaret Griffin moved the stairs from the center of t…
Architect Margaret Griffin moved the stairs from the center of the house to the back of the home. The new location helps organize the levels and also creates a large main floor living space with a library, dining room, and living room. She says this "cleaner sequence" also helps connect these spaces to the backyard.
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The open library is part of a small addition that includes an up…
The open library is part of a small addition that includes an upstairs guest room. A 12-inch step and a contrasting color palette (light floor and dark ceiling) help separate it from the living room.
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Large expanses of glass admit light to the rear of the house. Th…
Large expanses of glass admit light to the rear of the house. The owners have a view from the front courtyard to the backyard, which makes the house feel more open, architect Margaret Griffin says.
Benny Chan / Fotoworks
The rear stairs wrap around to the private areas of the house. S…
The rear stairs wrap around to the private areas of the house. Steel rungs lead to a skylight that brings additional light to the back of the house and provides access to the rooftop.
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The two front cubes have partially frosted glass that create pri…
The two front cubes have partially frosted glass that create privacy for the master bedroom and bathroom, but still provide views of Hollywood and the ocean.
The owners of this house were initially looking to buy a new modern home but soon realized there was a shortage of contemporary houses in their area and that they were unlikely to find one in a location as great as their current neighborhood, so they stayed put.
The existing 1940s house — an unusual combination of Tudor and French country — was pushed tight to the street with a cavern-like entry set between two separate courtyards. The team at Griffin Enright Architects sought to simplify the space and connect the living areas to the outdoors. Two 8-foot walls were removed to create one unified courtyard space and architect Margaret Griffin specified telescoping doors for the living room to help tie the living space to the outdoors.
The design team reinterpreted the bay windows on either side of the house as cubes, which “create a dynamic new front,” Griffin says. The large windows of each cube are frosted on the lower half for privacy, and the contractor refaced existing walls with a clean white stucco finish.
On the interior, the original stairs were a significant obstacle to an open floor plan, so Griffin moved them to the rear of the house. One short set of steps now leads to a landing and the back door; another set of steps wraps around and leads to the upstairs bedrooms.
The owners now have a view from the front courtyard to the back patio. A 300-square-foot addition to the rear contains a small library on the main floor and a guest room on the upper level. “Doing a modest expansion preserved the quality of the outdoor space,” Griffin says. The judges commented that the design is sparse but strong: “Minimalist can be sterile, but this feels casual and comfortable,” said one judge.
