House at a Glance
Who lives here: A young couple who, during construction, became the parents of twin girls
Location: Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles
Size: 1,650 square feet (153 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Interior designer: Natalie Myers
Scope of work: To update this classic post-and-beam-style midcentury modern home, built in 1955 by engineering powerhouse Pollack & Kahn, the homeowners focused most of their efforts on the kitchen, living spaces and entryway.
They took the original kitchen down to the studs and removed a wall to open up the floor plan. “The clients had a piercing vision of what they wanted their home to look like,” contractor Marisela Arechiga of New Generation Home Improvements says. “Designer Natalie Myers brought those ideas to paper in designing the space to highlight the home’s architecture and bright space.”
Natural light: The entire home is lifted up on stilts above the carport, creating cascades of natural light throughout.
Floors: “We were under a very tight schedule because the owner was pregnant and set to deliver at any point in the construction, so every day was critical,” Arechiga says.
“Laying the epoxy floors was so very challenging, and we wouldn’t accept anything but great so it took six pours to get it right. It unfortunately killed our timeline, but we got the floors that the clients wanted.”
Olive sconce: Triple Seven Home; door paint: Damask Gold, Benjamin Moore
Before: In the previous layout, a thick wall separated the kitchen from the living area.
After: Removing the wall created a better connection between the two spaces.
Cabinets: For a sleek look on a budget, the designer added cabinet doors from Semi Handmade to low-cost Ikea cabinets.
Countertop: Caesarstone; backsplash in Weld: Clé Tile; appliances: Miele; faucet: Kohler; pendant lights: Heather Rosenman; ceiling lights: Justice Design
Dining area: A George Nelson bubble light hangs over a midcentury-style dining set. Because the home is on stilts, the view of the tree canopy makes it feel like you’re dining in a treehouse.
Myers worked with the homeowners to outfit the space with a collection of modern furnishings that meld with the style of the home.
Walls: Vertical red oak rift-cut paneling custom-made in-house
Source: Featured on HOUZZ
