When Barbara, a corporate lawyer, bought this property in Los Angeles, California, in 2017, the main house held all the glamour that you might expect from the neighborhood. “It’s a quintessential 1920s Hollywood home,” says Barbara, who loves all of its charming details—like its ivy-covered stucco exterior, terra-cotta roof tiles, and wrought iron railings. “You can just tell that wonderful lives and parties have gone on in this house over the course of almost a hundred years.”

That charm, however, did not extend to the attached, 280-square-foot guest suite, which had a bedroom and bathroom, and not much else to lure guests to stay. “It was old, and tired, and needed a refresh,” says Barbara. “The one thing that had always been missing was a place to cook.” Former renters brought in a hot plate, but Barbara wanted to add a kitchen to make it more functional and comfortable for long-term rentals.

The surrounding neighborhood is very close to the Hollywood film studios, so Barbara had a very specific clientele in mind from the start of the project. “We often have a situation where either talent, or a producer, director, or costume designer, etcetera, will come into the area for a particular project for several months, and just need a place that to hang their hat, and leave their stuff while on location,” says Barbara.

Enter architect and designer Benjamin Jones, founder of BRCJ Designs, who redesigned the suite in a 2021 remodel that added not only a kitchen, but a cozy sleeping area, a dine/work space, laundry machines, a walk-in closet, a plethora of storage, and a new bathroom.

Before: Bedroom & Kitchen

The existing layout had a bulky closet cutting into the room, which made the entire space feel darker than necessary. “There was more closet space than there was usable, functional space in this little apartment,” says Jones. “So, the first order of business was to get rid of that and try to reclaim it.”

Jones removed the closet, relocated the bed in its place, and built dedicated storage on two sides. Dubbed the “Sarcophagus Bed” by the designer, it now has cabinets in the headboard, shelving nooks, built-in lighting, and thanks to its height off the ground, deep drawers underneath.

After: Bedroom & Kitchen

While eking out more efficiency and functionality from the new layout was a top priority, looks were equally important. “The challenge was, how do you make this an attractive rental unit when you only have 280 square feet to work with?” says Jones. “That was the main impetus for the ribbon of built-ins.”

Now, sustainably sourced white oak cabinetry wraps the interior and its designated zones, taming clutter and unifying the space to make it feel larger. A curving motif and slatted details vary the cabinetry and create visual interest.

Before: Bedroom Workspace

After: Banquette

The key to the new layout was ensuring that the apartment had full-sized amenities, so that guests don’t feel pinched. Accordingly, BRCJ introduced a walk-in closet with a washer and dryer, a kitchen with regular-sized appliances, and a walk-in shower in the bathroom. “I want to use the shower there instead of my own, because it’s so nice,” says Barbara.

Jones optimized storage components wherever possible, keeping guests’ needs in mind—the drawers under the bed are big enough for suitcases, and the dining table can unfold to become a larger eating area, or a comfortable workspace.

Whereas the previous suite “definitely wasn’t a place you wanted to stay very long,” says Barbara, that’s totally changed in the short time since the remodel was completed. “Honestly, now I get requests from the neighbors all the time when family or guests come calling: ‘Is your place available? Can we use your apartment?’”

Before: Bathroom

After: Bathroom

Before: “Almost Closet”

After: Walk-In Closet and Laundry

Related Reading:

18 Smart, Space-Saving Interiors in Tiny Homes and Apartments

Rental Revamp: A Brooklyn Designer Proves That 88 Square Feet Don’t Have to Feel Small

Project Credits:

Architect: BRCJ Designs, Inc. / @brcjdesigns

Builder: Arnold Orantes

Interior Design: BRCJ Designs, Inc.

Cabinetry: Morales Cabinets

Photographer: Grayson Gilbert