Major Remodel & Addition

​

The house overlooking panoramic view of the City and the coast, was originally built on a steep hilly site, during the years had gone through a number of remodeling and additions, some less successful than the others. But the house had reached the point where much needed major remodeling and updates became imperative. For one the flat, Mansard roof was prone to leaking and the water damage and presence of mold was highly suspected. The same Mansard roof design also gave a dated and tired look that clearly could benefit from a facelift. In addition, there was also some unused floor space on the second floor, which could easily be captured and become a more valuable interior space.

On the interior, the main foyer lacked the expected space to greet more than just a few fiends before it felt cramped. The compartmentalized layout of the spaces which once seemed like the norm, felt dark and isolated, specially the Den with no windows or any direct sunlight.

While the kitchen had gone through some mostly cosmetic remodeling in the more recent times, it lacked the space and an efficient layout to provide the today’s living standards of comfort. A small peninsula open to a small dinette was not nearly spacious enough to function as a gathering place, where most people tend to gravitate to hang out. Like the rest of the spaces in the house, it was also closed off to the rest of the house.

The design concept was to address these issues by redesigning the house interior to a more open and connected spaces, create a new and updated exterior and maximize the functions and use of the indoor and outdoor spaces.

The new project was to address all these issues, as well as expanding the backyard, as far as possible over the valley below. Because of the limitation of flat surface on the property, the existing swimming pool was placed too close to the house to be desired. In response, the new expanded reinforced concrete deck was designed to accommodate the new pool as well as a new 2-car carport in compliance with the local ordinance. The front entry driveway also benefited for this expansion.

Working closely with the local civil engineers and surveyors, the extent and boundaries of the property’s buildable area was studied and evaluated. Because of the City of Hollywood restrict hillside ordinance there were many challenges to overcome, including the prohibitive imaginary 3 dimensional envelop around the house that limits the scale and height of any expansion.

Overall, there was a small of expansion to the footprint of the house to allow the much needed additional space for the kitchen and the expansion of the master suite above that. Removing a few walls between the rooms and reconfiguring the functional spaces on the main floor, provided a new up to date feel and functions, while on the second floor, besides the expansive new master suite, the new expansion created a new junior suite in place of the old master bath.