There was a lot of history in this Santa Monica house. Built in 1927 by noted architect and Academy Award-nominated art director Leland Fuller, the home had been featured in Good Housekeeping in 1932—every subsequent owner has carefully preserved the original photographs from the shoot, which makes the house’s history more special.
Eric Staudenmaier
The owner, an entertainment and media executive, bought the home in 2010 and fell in love with so much of its charm, from the Dutch door to the exposed beams to the Latin phrase inscribed above the fireplace—Horace’s injunction: “CARPE DIEM—QVAM MINIMVM CREDULA POSTERO,” meaning “Seize the Day—Trusting as little as possible in the future.”
Eric Staudenmaier
But while the house had so many special details, it felt a bit too cramped for the owner, who enlisted Lisa Henderson of Harvest Architecture to give the space a makeover.
Eric Staudenmaier
“Although very charming, the house felt small at only 1,200 square feet and had a very cluttered kitchen with bright red cabinets and a small breakfast area that also served as the side entry door,” Lisa says. “This layout meant there was no foyer or ‘drop zone,’ and the home had only one bathroom for the entire space.”
Eric Staudenmaier
The owner envisioned a larger extension with a dining room and kitchen at the back of the home where she could entertain and cook for her friends. She was also open to blending the original English cottage aesthetic with new materials, like steel and glass doors and windows, plus tiles with bold pops of color.
Eric Staudenmaier
“The owner’s desire was also to create a space that opens up to the back and to remove an intermediate fence in the rear yard to create an upper patio that flows to a lower outdoor space transformed from the old driveway,” Lisa adds.
Eric Staudenmaier
To start, Lisa examined the floor plan of the house and the overall property. Every inch of the original 1,200-square-foot house was touched; the only room that didn’t get a major renovation was the hall bathroom.
“Considering the overall massing and roofline of the house, which couldn’t change due to its historic nature, we decided to add square footage to create a private interior courtyard feel that would flow down to the lower yard area,” Lisa explains. “The owner was extremely engaged and open to having a push-and-pull dynamic with the design, including recreating the original hardwood flooring in the new areas with a ‘Peg and Groove’ design.”
Eric Staudenmaier
Lisa and team added approximately 350 square feet of space and reconfigured the floor plan in the entire back portion of the house, which includes the kitchen, dining room, living room, and primary suite. New windows, roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and paint were installed and added.
Eric Staudenmaier
With the renovation almost complete, the owner realized that while she loved the ceiling beams and detailing in the front living room, the ceiling height felt low. So, the ceiling was removed and raised four inches, which may seem like a small amount, but it makes a big psychological difference, Lisa says.
Now the home is brighter and airier with bold color, unique fixtures and accents, and cozy and stylish furnishings. Just about everything was custom-made, from the “perfectly book-matched marble” in the kitchen to the hand-painted tiles in the primary bathroom.
Eric Staudenmaier
“Both the design process, which was a joy, and the end result exceeded my expectations for my first renovation project,” the owner says. “I felt we were in sync on both significant elements, like the Riviera Bronze doors, and finer details, such as the Buster & Punch light switches. The house is just as cozy and unique as I hoped, and it still feels like Leland would approve.”
