Inspired by California’s enviable indoor-outdoor lifestyle, Los Angeles-based Conner + Perry Architects Inc. set out to renovate a growing family’s small, bungalow-style home in Venice, Calif., adapting it into a dream home. The firm’s design goal was to create an open, connected space that would flow from front to back, making it perfect for entertaining and taking advantage of the mild climate and fresh ocean air.
With a portfolio of innovative projects located across Southern California, principals Kristopher Conner and James Perry were up for the challenge. The duo is best known for their ongoing work at the iconic Sheats-Goldstein Residence, designed by Mid-century master John Lautner, where they serve as the current architects of record. Beyond developing ever-evolving designs for the iconic property, Conner and Perry oversee maintenance and restoration work on the original residence and site-based James Turrell “Above Horizon” installation, as well as various other architecturally and historically significant homes.
Fittingly, this residence is nestled within vibrant Venice Beach, a neighborhood known for an eclectic array of architectural masterpieces by the likes of Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne and Paul Williams, among others. Dubbed the Venice Beach Contemporary Craftsman, or VBCC, the residence now seamlessly blends modern design with a deep respect for its surroundings. The renovation, which included a major remodel, as well as the addition of a second story, spans 2,109 square feet and includes three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. The result clearly showcases Conner and Perry’s ability to create an innovative design that harmonizes functionality, aesthetics and a connection to nature.
“Our focus for this home was to provide a balance of privacy and transparency, making the home feel bigger in both subtle and strong ways, bringing the natural world in and extending the view and structure out,” Conner says.
“Whenever possible we utilized the same continuous natural material palette on both the interior and exterior to blur the boundaries of space while providing comfort and protection,” Perry adds.
SETTING THE TONE ON THE MAIN LEVEL
The main design intent for the VBCC was to create an inviting and interconnected living space on the ground floor. One of the most captivating design elements is the strategic use of glass sliders that bookend the house. The sliders serve as conduits that blur the boundaries between indoors and outdoors, allowing the wooden flooring and ceiling to extend visually into the decks and landscape beyond.
The play with materiality is most dramatic on the façade where textures and materials ignite a sense of intrigue upon approach. A Shou Sugi Ban feature wall and an exposed cantilevered glulam timber beam that supports the cantilevered balcony over the entryway visually lead the eye to the unique main entry door. A stepped concrete patio integrates a built-in filtration planter that extends into the house through the large sidelite of glass. This stunning fusion of architecture and greenery sets the tone for the entire experience within the home.
On the main level, the client’s desire for a flexible, open floor plan was realized with sliding glass doors that open fully to thermally treated ash wood decks at both the rear and front of the house. Custom mahogany veneer cabinets and paneling pair beautifully with the herringbone tile backsplash and quartz countertops and island. Opposite the kitchen island, the charred wood feature wall and exposed glulam beam from the main entry frame the interior dining space and extend out into the landscape in the front yard and back to the open living area. As a nod to the sustainable components of the home, a thoughtfully placed rain chain visually extends down from the primary bedroom balcony at the front of the residence into another subtly integrated filtration planter at the main deck below.
SECOND-STORY OASIS
Connected by a central open stairwell with an integrated office nook, the VBCC’s second story spaces are illuminated by natural daylight that cascades from large southwest-facing windows and three strategically positioned skylights. The highest skylight is operable, allowing for natural ventilation and creating a gentle circulation of fresh air that can be felt throughout the home. This floor, which houses all three bedrooms,
also incorporates a built-in laundry niche in the hallway and a shared bathroom for the children.
Designed to be a sanctuary, the primary suite offers sweeping views of the Santa Monica Mountains from a private balcony. A wood railing visually extends into the space and cleverly multi-functions as an architectural built-in headboard and wainscoting. Clerestory windows allow the tongue and groove, cedar wood-vaulted ceiling to create a sense of the roof floating above the structure. Design highlights within the space include built-in mahogany veneer casework, a frameless glass rain shower, floating double vanity and a free-standing bathtub. Notably, the bathroom’s low wall with its frameless glass transom elegantly unifies the suite while maintaining privacy. The move also maintains important views of the corner window, which bathes the full suite in natural light and offers yet another connection to nature.
Central to Conner + Perry Architects’ design approach throughout the VBCC was the meticulous attention to fenestration and orientation. At every turn, the design ensures a delicate equilibrium between natural lighting, ventilation and privacy. This, along with the use of natural materials and a visual connection to the landscape, ensure that the home is the ultimate calming oasis.
PHOTOS: Elizabeth Daniels Photography unless otherwise noted
Retrofit Team
ARCHITECT: Conner + Perry Architects Inc.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: AMZ Engineering, (310) 922-3039
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER: Grover-Hollingsworth & Associates Inc.
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Sharp Builders Inc.
Materials
WINDOWS: Ultimate from Marvin
SKYLIGHTS: VELUX
SLIDING DOORS: Series 3070 from Fleetwood Windows & Doors
VANITY MIRRORS AND BATHTUB: Kohler
TOILETS: Toto
COUNTERTOPS: Caesarstone
TILE: Roca
FLOORING: Da Vinci European Oak Paolo from Garrison
ASH DECKS: Thermory
