Rennovations-Remodels

The Orchard Street Residence was renovated from a humble 1946 cottage in a neighborhood of mostly pre-World War II houses.

"The heavy timber work on the front and back porches, this exposed timber joinery, Craig, our builder, took a lot of pride in and did the work himself,

Klopf Architecture's modest 72-square-foot addition at the front of the home blends in with the original structure while giving the owners a greater sense of openness in the master and hall bathrooms. Inside, the re-imagined great room now features dining space.

A reading nook in front of the "cabin" workspace at the top of the stairs.

"The kitchen is unique and hits all the marks for the perfect space to entertain guests," Janie explains. "I love to cook, so, naturally, the kitchen is my favorite part of the house."

The couple took advantage of numerous municipal programs when landscaping the backyard. Mandy recently completed a free course through LADWP, who also promotes resources for the SoCal Turf Replacement Program, to become a certified California Native Plant Landscape: “There is an amazing amount of knowledge and resources for transitioning yards with more native/drought-tolerant plants through LADWP and the Theodore Payne Foundation,” says Mandy.

Packed with personality, this retooled shed by Best Practice Architecture might just be the cutest little ADU in Texas.

In the living room, the team raised the firebox, cladded the hearth in a tactile plaster finish, and installed a floating limestone bench that wraps the column. On the left (unseen) is integrated firewood storage, and a cozy reading nook sits on the right. "The bench was designed to be used as a social space/lounge, and is well-used," says Coffey. The wood beams and red brick were scraped and stripped many times to remove the silver paint and reclaim a natural state.

Bleached walnut replaced cold concrete floors in this family-friendly renovation of a dated loft in West Chelsea’s late 19th-century Spears Building. To make the loft feel more welcoming, architects Ravi Raj and Evan Watts toned down the heavy industrial elements of the 2,700-square-foot loft with a warmer and lighter palette and added custom built-ins for a streamlined look. At the same time, the loft still preserves much of its historic appeal—from the exposed brick seen throughout the home to the oversized openings left intact.

The old wooden ceiling beams in the dining room were purchased from a local Amish farmer and painted white. Warm timbers tie the home together.

FMT Estudio gives a stark and dated dwelling a playful renovation that embraces the sunny climate with lush courtyards and a poolside veranda.

After: The soaring new living and dining space benefits from an abundance of natural light from every side, and they spent a lot of time trying to find the best lighting for the kitchen. The final choice: long, narrow copper pendants from Denmark suspended by ultra thin wires to not disrupt the visual flow of the room.

Designed by Charles M. Goodman in 1958, the renovated five-bedroom is one of 24 Care-free Homes built by the Aluminum Company of America.

A Catalan-American family’s vacation home pays homage to its 200-year history and the rugged charm of brick, cinderblocks, and OSB.

The renovation reconfigured the kitchen to include a peninsula, which has a secondary level for the owners' wheelchair-using daughter.