Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Old Meets New in the Hollywood Hills



When a couple decided to tear down their home and rebuild it from the foundation up, they looked to their surroundings for inspiration. Positioned under the iconic Hollywood sign in Beachwood Canyon, they wanted an open and airy modern home that contained homages to the original Hollywoodland neighborhood.

The large deck at the back of the home affords tranquil views of the Hollywood Hills


An Art Deco powder room on the main floor gives a nod to the golden age of Hollywood's stars, many of whom lived in the neighborhood because of its close proximity to studios.  The Tudor-style residence once owned by Bela Lugosi is just down the hill and was recently sold and lovingly renovated.



Timeless elements like black and white check flooring, marble and subway tile play well against the sleek contemporary lines of the lavatory and faucet






With sweeping canyon views, the main floor living spaces are filled with light and flow seamlessly into one another, blending elements of old and new...just like the neighborhood itself.


An eclectic mix of old and new, traditional and contemporary is exactly what the clients were striving for in the building of their dream home








While the home sits under the Hollywood sign, it is not actually visible from inside. One of the only requests from the clients was to find a way to somehow bring that icon into the master bath. A custom tile mural was made from a photo and painstakingly assembled in the master shower so that they'd always have a view,  no matter the weather.


Situated on a lot high in the hills with no neighbors to the back, the couple can enjoy canyon views with complete privacy in their master suite




An ensuite bath off the guest room has the feel of being original and period to the era, even though brand new. The beautiful floor tiles were all hand made and hand painted.


The handmade tiles were all of different thicknesses, making installation for the tile setter challenging, but the end result was worth it in the main floor guest suite



Friday, March 2, 2018

The Fruits Of Your Labor



     Now that the project is over, you can see how I applied the inspiration to a practical use.

A doorless, walk in shower with bench and rain shower highlight the new guest bath


The pretty stuff is only half of the equation when renovating a bathroom. First, you must identify the needs and purpose of the space and see if you can improve on the existing layout. The homeowner's guest bath had a layout that didn't utilize it's space properly. A cramped shower on one end, two sinks on the other end and a huge empty space in between.


 I repositioned all the fixtures except for the toilet, and was able to give them two separate vanity areas, a walk-in shower and add a linen closet for storage.



                                                                         Before



                                                                            After




The new space feels larger, brighter and includes storage it never had before. This coastal home now has a spa like guest bath that echoes their surroundings with a modern take on the colors of sand and surf.


Before

The original layout made the guest bath feel cramped





After

The colors of the California coastline feature prominently in the guest suite
of this Rancho Palos Verdes home















Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Turning Inspiration Into Reality


The euphoria you feel from being inspired is what fuels your ability to start the journey. Get out there and see what is new and speaks to you personally. As long as you always go back to your original inspiration for reference, you'll stay on track. I loved this beautiful mosaic tile that incorporated all the colors in my inspiration photo..plus a few more. It afforded me many options so once I chose this, everything else fell into place.