"1229" | Santa Monica
This one story California bungalow was in desperate need of a renovation.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
The house was designed on a narrow lot with narrow and un-proportional rooms which is on trend with a lot of homes built in the 20’s. The Owners wanted to re-build a more contemporary residence with larger and wider living room and kitchen, spacious bedrooms on a second floor and a master suite on the first floor for when they need to retire from moving around. They had a dream of large deck and balconies to enjoy lounging out there in the summer time. They also wanted a two bedroom accessory dwelling over their rear garage for entertaining guests or having a secondary means of income. While the program and design elements were really important to them so was cost of construction on this renovation. We worked very hard on keeping the building under a certain square footage and within the setbacks proposed by the city.
As we worked hard to meet this checklist another layer of constraints was added to this design by the
historic preservation department once they considered the bungalow a historic home. As a result the
designed had to be tailored to their needs, the neighborhoods opinions as well as our clients. The height
of the second story had to be lowered. The design elements and aesthetics had to stay true to the
original style. The front portion of the house (1st 2oft) had to remain untouched on the exterior. The
setbacks needed to stay narrow yet proportional to the exterior extension. Yet the addition needed to
be read as an obvious addition by the neighborhood per the districts request. The new design provides a
larger and more open living, dining and kitchen and has more light coming in. A beautiful back deck was
designed that connected to a usable backyard and an ADU in the rear. The upper bedrooms are larger,
more spacious, with more light and balconies that still provides them privacy.
At Simple Squared, we believe that simple solutions are the key to elegant, yet, provoking special creations. As a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to bettering the environment, we provide sustainable design solutions. Our design process provides the creative space for a client to participate in the decision making process, ensuring that your space is you.
Is your space desperate for renovations? Schedule a consultation to bring it to life.