Client -- A real estate Attorney, a high school journalism Teacher, a teenage Daughter, a pre-teen Son, and several pets share a home and yard but have different needs … a large garage to double as a work area with plenty of wall space to hang up a collection of old enamel signs … a functional kitchen … a hub for backpacks, sports accessories, and necessities … a computer and mail center … a music room … an inviting functional backyard with lap pool, cabana, patio areas and courtyard … a modern functional environment in an Arts and Craft Style ranch house. Byron Lewis said “The first timemy wife caught a glimpse of the 1939 ranch style house she was certain that it was the place to call home.” The Lewis family moved into the home in 1987 and “over the next 15 years, we got to know the place, painted, and worked around its quirks. The 1950s addition and carport had to go. The 1970s sunroom and early 1980s master bath suite were comfortable, but awkwardly stuck on to the original house.”

Project – “Somewhere around 2001, I asked my architect friend to help me come up with a cohesive plan to renovate our home to make it our “dream home”. My expectation was to identify and integrate the arts and crafts inspired details from one end of thehouse to the other. The original wood floors, hand hewn beams, painted brick, exposed rafter tails, glass door knobs, tile and paneled doors would be our inspiration. At the same time, we had to end up developing a modern house with completely updated mechanical, electrical and plumbing.” The 1939 house originally designed in an Arts & Craft style had multiple additions varying in design and character. Our Client’s general goal was to expand and remodel major portions of the house making it more efficient and useful while replacing or modifying previous additions that were inconsistent with a coherent design. A study of the existing details and components along with a study of the existing spaces and functions led to the initial shopping list (needs and wants) and ultimately identified the design features to be enhanced through the remodeling process.

The majority of the existing 3,040 square foot house was in a single story but there were two small and separate second floor areas. The stairway near the front door led to a single bedroom with a full bath while the narrow rear, winding stairway accessed a smaller single bedroom over the garage. The height of the garage did not accommodate the family vehicle. The irregular floor plan was transformed to a 3,957 square foot house with auxiliary cabana, patios, four-car garage, lap pool and various entertaining areas. The house serves as a backdrop to a collection of period furniture and accessories, a collection of enamel signs and a display of music memorabilia while providing individualized spaces for each member of the family. Lewis recalls “Although I had worked on business and community projects with design professionals, working with my friend Teresa Morales-Best was my first personal experience with an architect.

After patiently listening to me, looking at my clippings, magazines and books, we met and looked at several hand drawn sketches to get us started. I was trilled to see my ideas take life on paper. We quickly narrowed down the big picture and started the difficult task of getting the details in line to coordinate with some sort of budget.

Moving through the design and development process was very exciting. The benefit of using an experienced design professional became abundantly clear after every meeting.

We eliminated the awkward steps and door swings, trapped space, and inappropriate remodeling. All the while, she took notes of what my expectations were in terms of finishes, fixtures, colors, and hardware.”

After a year of fine-tuning the project, the search was on for the contractor to execute this unique and complicated project during a red-hot construction market with not only the ability to perform a ‘non-traditional’ construction style but to adapt traditional subcontractors to the craftsmanship needed. Lewis concluded “in the end, we achieved substantially what we were looking for through stubbornness, hands on detail, and tenacity.”

Significant interior features and creative solutions used to address project challenges
•Fluted textured art glass screens private garden
•Bay window expands space for breakfast area
•Vertically elongated wall cabinets in kitchen with glass front, adds storage
•Wrap around stairway enlarges landing transitional area which doubles as a study
•Wood borders on flooring with diagonal hard tile inlays
•Double ceiling trim accents and unites transitional spaces
•Hub cubicles for quick access to necessities located adjacent to rear door
•Arched trim insert in picket railing simulates window and garage door design
•Staggered garages isolated from street view
•Private garden access between master bath and lap pool
•Arched trellis supporting wooden swing

General Integrated Retrofit – Take the 1939 irregular floor plan, redesign the multipleadditions, add a modern functional (efficient and useful) environment in an Arts and Craft Style ranch house. All major functional areas were affected by the improvements while the existing design features were enhanced through the remodeling process:

The ENTRY – Replacement of entry doors, side lights, hardware and light fixtures;

The KITCHEN – Redesigned kitchen layout with new bay window breakfast area;

The UTILITY AREAS – Added a family “hub” adjacent to the rear door, a computer/mail center, a new laundry area, and a new half bath;

The FAMILY ROOM – Updated with an indoor-outdoor visual connection, audiovisual accessories, and a reading corner;

The MASTER BATH -- Transformation of the master bath with a free standing vintage style tub adjacent to a private garden area, a pedestal sink, a built-in vanity, dressing bench, steam shower, and two walk-in closets;

The GARAGE -- Two new garage areas, a four-car garage and work area and an oversize single garage with storage and work area; both staggered and out of sight from street view;

The Second Floor BEDROOM/STUDY SUITE – A second story suite above the new garage with a shared study overlooking the backyard, two bedrooms with large walk-in closets and full bath;

The CABANA – A cabana with kitchenette, shower, changing area and bathroom;

SITE AMENITIES – A linear lap pool accented with semi-circular areas for socializing with fiber-optic perimeter lighting and telescopic fountains, accented at both ends with twin swings suspended from arched trellis structure, various paths in stepping stones leading to wood and glass enclosures around a private garden or a nursery work bench, white picket fences for a dog run, mechanical yard enclosures and fenced areas.

The ENTRY

Improvements to the Entry include a new door unit with fluted art glass and sidelights, stressed hand hammered push plates with glass knobs for door hardware coordinating with both the new door design and the original glass door knobs as well as new entry light fixtures

The KITCHEN

While the limited overall space of the Kitchen would not be expanded, it immediately became a challenge to create an efficient use of the space. The space is not only small but it is wedged into a corner bisected by the traffic pattern of a) the main daily accessfrom the garage to the living room and b) accessing in one direction the dining room and in the opposite direction the breakfast area. The kitchen did not allow for an Lshape nor a U-shape, instead we had to deal with one not so long counter and an even shorter island. The solution included adding a bay window overhanging an existing patio to scoot the breakfast table a couple of feet allowing clearance between it and the island – this being the main access between the garage and the house! The range/oven was then relocated to the island across the sink. While the side-by-side refrigerator was tucked at a right angle to the end of the longer counter, it is placed adjacent to the high trafficked hall, perfect!

UTILITY AREAS

The various utilitarian spaces between the Garage and the Kitchen were redesigned for a functional and efficient use of spaces including a “hub” consisting of cubbies and baskets for storing backpacks, sports accessories and other necessities in close proximity to the rear door for quick access; a computer/mail center niche with natural daylight via a narrow strip window; a new laundry area with built-in ironing board; linen closet; pantry and a half bath.