This single story home is located on a steep hillside in Highland Park.

The existing home is clad with a dark board and batten siding with a shade structure at the entry.

The house site atop the hillside and has no view to the south.

The addition is to the back of the existing home and will project over the slope. The access to the site is limited so the foundations were designed to allow for hand digging only, making the project feasable. This image shows the location of the new foundations for this ambitious project.

The structural steel, rebar, has been placed and next step in the placing of the concrete column formwork.

The concrete columns have been placed and the framing for the deck and the addition are underway.

This image shows the completed columns and addition above.

The new deck has been installed and allows for better use of the existing house and allows natural daylight thoughout the existing house.

The new addition is shown as a lightweight projection over the slope, in contrast to the existing, dark home which sits along the edge of the hillside.

The new bedroom and bathroom addition soars is suspended lightly over the hillside.

This is the new addition with large windows which allow for views and ample natural daylight form the south.

The new addition is light in color and floats over the hillside.

The new hallway features large bookcases.

The new bedroom allows for natural daylight and southern views.

The new bedroom has so much light, the window coverings are helpful.

The new bedroom is comfortable and bright with southern views of downtown Los Angeles.

This diagram shows the new addition bedroom, bathroom and deck shown in yellow and the existing single story home, shown in blue which sits along the edge of the slope.

This project will restore and remodel an existing Craftsman Bungalow in Eagle Rock. The project will add a bathroom, a walk in closet and expand the Main Bedroom. The kitchen will also get new appliances, cabinetry, flooring and counters. New windows and french doors throughout the house will allow for abundant natural light. In the back of the house a new wood deck will replace the old one and a new Accessory Dwelling Unit will be built.

We will repair the existing wood windows, replace may of the non-original windows and repaint the house.

The Craftsman Bungalow features a low-slung roof supported by gables and piers. All elements of the original house will be restored and repaired to its original condition.

This combination fixed and transom window will be rebuilt.

This prominent window at the front of the house is under repair with new frames, hardware, glass and weatherstrip.

This double-hung window in the dining room is original to the house and will also be restored and repaired.

We have begun to remove portions of the house to prepare for the new construction including the previously built, wooden deck.

Continuing the removal of a few exterior walls, the demolition process has shown some areas which will need to be addressed.

Some of the existing foundation will need to be repaired and the house made safe.

This single story home in Studio City will add a second floor with two bedrooms , a bathroom and a master suite with an attached bathroom and walk in closet, with a private vanity. The historic brick chimneys must be maintained and protected. So the design respects the important aspects of the house.

The two brick chimneys are an important part of the house history. They are located toward the front of the existing, single story home, so the new second story sits towards the back of the house, and the chimneys preserved.

PROJECT INFORMATION / STRATEGY

The location, size and shape of the second floor addition, which shows 1,284 total square feet, has been considered in several ways:

1. The solar orientation to allow for morning light, the master suite is located in this area for morning light.

2. The structural design of house has placed the main north wall of the proposed second floor of the house along an existing “structural spine” which runs east/west along the northern wall of the kitchen which aligns with the southern wall of the closet in “bedroom-1” on the first floor. This will allow for minimal demolition around and inside the existing house for the new foundations along the existing footprint of the house. The design of the proposed second floor shows a projection to the back over the existing house and covering a proposed wooden deck and walkway below which serve the existing kitchen and bedroom 2. Corner columns will support this overhead area which will are easily accessible for construction.

3. Orientation of the master suite to the existing garden to the rear of the house-the master suite is oriented in this area and the proposed deck will allow a connection to this space.

4-The preservation of the existing two brick fireplaces at the front northwest and northeast corners of the existing house. These important, functional features of the existing house have been preserved in that the proposed second floor is located to the rear of the existing house, protecting the two fireplaces and chimneys and will also preserve the architectural character of the existing, cottage-style home.

5- The proposed second floor stacks directly above the first floor and has a simple shape which facilitates constructibility.

The new second floor includes two bedrooms, one as an office, a laundry room, a bathroom and a master suite located to the east of the house to receive morning light.

This diagram shows the new second floor with tall ceilings, located at the back of the house.

LEGEND
A-The new stair to second floor is an L-shaped stair which is entered from the kitchen area adjecent to the dining room, there is a bookshelf area in this space along the west wall. This new stair eliminates the existing laundry room and the closet for bedroom 2, at the back of the house.
The new plan has accommodation for these areas.
B-The closet for bedroom 2 has been relocated to the end of the room. There is also a new coat closet located in the hallway as shown.
C-The small, existing office area has been remodeled as a pantry area.
D-The narrow area to the back of the kitchen has been designed as a bar-like service area with a counter and lower and upper cabinets.
E-A proposed wood deck is shown which is located under the proposed second floor, it has two larger areas which serve the kitchen and the bedroom 2 with a path between them. This area is covered by the proposed second floor and will have recessed lights for illumination below.

F-The second floor hallway and landing area is wide enough to allow a natural flow of movement and has a low bookshelf which functions as a guardrail too. The laundry room has been relocated to this area and shows a side by side washer and dryer with a benchtop counter and upper cabinets for storage.
The ceiling in this hallway area is envisioned as a tall, angular, vaulted ceiling which will match the proposed roofline.
G-The proposed “bedroom-3” is the larger of the two bedrooms proposed for the second floor with a long closet of 11’-4” and a desk area and a sitting area. There are operable casement windows shown on the north and west sides will allow ample daylight.
H-Proposed “bedroom-4” is the smaller of the two bedrooms on the second floor and shows 4’-0” of closet space. This bedroom has operable widows on the west and the south walls. This bedroom may also be used as the new office space.
I-The proposed “bathroom-3” shows a bathtub, vanity and toilet with short privacy wall. There is a linen cabinet at the hallway entrance.
J- The master bedroom is located on the east side of the house for early morning, natural daylight. There is a large operable casement window on the east side of the house, and paired with the proposed 16’-0” of glass on the south wall, there will ample natural light throughout the day. A king-sized bed is shown
and the ceiling in this room is envisioned as also having a dramatic, high and angular, vaulted ceiling which will match the proposed roofline. As preferred, exposed beams and lighting may be utilized for architectural effect in the room. The “master-suite” is supported by a generous “walk-through” closet, a large
master bathroom and a sitting vanity area. Built in bookshelves are shown on the south wall flanking the large sliders and also next to the entrace to the room on the eastern wall.
K- The “walk-through” closet shows almost 30 linear feet of closet space. Banked on the left and inside the closet, this area will be customized to allow for shoes, boots, a clothes hamper, and single and double rods. A sliding “pocket-door” is shown for easy access into this area. There is also a window on the east
side to allow for natural daylight into this closet area.
L-The vanity area shows a 7’-10” counter with a large mirror, vanity lighting, drawers and lower cabinets. Overall, this is an area for preparation.
M-The master bathroom features a double vanity, drop in bathtub, and a shower with a soap cubby. The toilet is located behind a low privacy wall and there is an operable casement window, for natural daylight and ventilation. A sliding pocket door is shown the access in this bathroom.
N-A shallow, “Juliette” style balcony is shown outside of the 10’-0” sliding doors to allow for a connection between the master bedroom and the existing garden in the back (south) of the house.

The framing for the second floor has started.

Second floor framing has begun…

Some structural steel is being used to create a patio at the back of the house.

The framing, drywall and insulation has been completed at the new second floor.

The area below the seond floor will be a shaded patio.

We are deep into construction now. The framing is done and the doors and windows will be installed next.

The front of this beautiful house will remain largely unchanged after our construction. Although the addition will be located at the back of the house, we will also be replacing the doors and windows, the roof and repainting the exterior as well as adding a new swimming pool and new landscaping too.

Shows the high roofline and dormer windows.

We are looking at where the additional portion of the house will be constructed. The left side of this house when viewed from this angle shows the area where we will be adding the new kitchen, living and breakfast nook areas, and the master bedroom suite above on the second floor. The consideration at this time is the roofline, which we are considering here.

The site plan shows the new landscape plan, new pool and hardscape. A circular driveway is planned, and many of the mature trees on the site will be preserved.

The South view of the house and property shows the front elevation with the relocated arbor structure, the existing iron fence and the new driveway elevation to the west. The proposed driveway elevation at the auto gate shows a concrete garden wall. The top of the garden wall will be flat until the sloped driveway at the auto gate location.

The proposed garage is shown in the background at the proposed elevation which is depressed below the patio. The existing evergreen trees are also shown at the existing elevation with the proposed garden wall to maintain these existing trees during and after the depression of the existing driveway.

This North/South cross section through the site shows the new, lowered garage floor with the adjacent patio and driveway walls. The driveway and garage floor elevation was lowered to allow for a second story to be added to the existing garage which is shown in section to the left.

This North / South through the site and house shows the proposed swimming pool, north patio and the front entry area. The front entry shows the sloped grass area and the new concrete steps at the entry.

This North/South cross section through the site looks towards the west and shows the elevation change between the east patio and the front yard. The patio elevation IS shown at approximately 2 feet above the existing front lawn elevation per the civil survey.

The proposed garage is shown in the background at the new elevation which is depressed below the patio elevation. The existing evergreen trees are also shown at the existing elevation with the proposed garden wall to maintain these trees during and after the depression of the existing driveway.

This East/West cross section through the site and garage shows the swimming pool, and the proposed heights of the adjacent structures.
Also shown is the proposed “pool-wall” which forms the north side of the swimming pool and projects above the proposed finish slab of the pool patio.

The back of the house and interior plaster has been demolished and the formwork for the basement has been installed for the concrete walls and foundations.

This is the formwork for the expanded basement at the back of the house.

This image shows the one of the exterior walls which will be maintained for the project. All existing walls will be reinforced with new structural framing but will be maintained for historic preservation purposes.

This is one of the remaining walls which will be maintained and reinforced during the process of the project. The garage is being rebuilt and a second story will be installed by lowering the floor of the garage to allow for more space in side the existing garage.

The framing is complete and the exterior cladding is underway here.

The large opening to the right will allow for tall sliding doors to span the width of the space.

This image shows the cantilevered, steel-framed room over the bedroom below.

The project will remove all of the exterior doors and windows and replace them with double paned, insulated glass.

The site plan shows the new adu conversion with the private entrance, walkway and patio. This ADU will be used as a rental so privacy was an important part of the design.

The constuction has begun. All of the doors and windows have been removed and the new framing is underway. The front of the ADU will feature large glass doors and a large picture window.

We will maintain a vaulted ceiling in the space. In order to maintain the existing roofline, additional structural components are needed to support the walls and roof. The new beams will be exposed in the final design.

The vaulted ceiling, although complex, will be elegant and beautiful when completed.

The new ADU will feature tall, dramatic, floor to ceiling doors to allow for movement through the space onto the new patio in back and also allow for natural daylight to light the space throughout the daytime hours.

The interior is well outfitted with custom cabinetry for the banquette, closets, washing machine cabinet, kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

The interior design for the bathroom and kitchen utilize earthen clay tiles for the minimal design.

The new private entry is located at the side of the existing home.

This is the finished entry with large, divided doors and glass.

features fireclay ceramic tiles, black finishes and floating shelves for storage

The space features hardwood flooring and a vaulted ceiling.

This area opens to a private patio and uses a built-in banquette to maximize the space.

The kitchen features smaller appliances, a refrigerator/freezer, stovetop with oven with a low profile exhaust hood. There is a farmers sink and the plumbing fixtures are black, to complement the doors and windows. Custom tile was used for the backsplash.

The banquette is useful for dining and working.

There is ample storage with a closet, pantry, lower cabinets and a washer/dryer.