The owners of this hillside "Atomic Ranch" in Southern California's idyllic Corona del Mar bought the home for its linear form, mid-century look and amazing views. It needed more living space and major fixes, so the clients turned to Laidlaw Schultz Architects to restructure its layout and create a sense of indoor-outdoor living. Led by Craig Schultz, the team opened the home to the view and combined mid-century-inspired architecture and warm materials with many of the owners' own curvy, colorful furnishings. The result is a beautifully updated blast from the past.
The designers reorganized the structure of the home, tripling its original 1,100 square feet and adding two guest bedrooms and an office. The living room's original sliding glass doors were actually inhibiting the view, so the architects put a cantilevered beam out from the roof and wrapped a floor-to-ceiling window around this side of the house.
The home's statement-making entryway has a distinctive mid-century note, echoing the lines of the rest of the house. Schultz and his firm designed this home with the early Case Study Houses of Los Angeles in mind. Although significantly updated, this home carries on the Case Study Houses' style and idea of indoor/outdoor living.
Walls lined with more Texas limestone surround the courtyard. A hint of this rugged limestone can be seen from almost any point in the house. An outdoor fireplace, integrated bench, and seating area with Bertoia side chairs create an elegant setting for outdoor entertaining.
The clients had purchased the home because of its mid-century style and already had some mid-century furniture and accessories, so the designers tried to carry that feel throughout.
While they were working on the home, Schultz and his firm discovered that the original placement of the garage was crowding the family room. "When you start off planning, you often think one thing, but sometimes that can change as you go along," says Schultz. By moving the garage to the other side of the house, they were able to extend this area considerably.
All of the cabinetry in the home was done in Shedua, an exotic and high density wood with a warm glow. The clients already had the boomerang couch, which was reupholstered in a retro-looking olive green.
A mid-century styled bar sits on one end of the family room, blending beautifully with the softly stained oak flooring. The presence of natural materials gives the home a sense of flow and a surprisingly warm ambiance.
On the other side of the house, the master bedroom faces a beautiful ocean view. Since the master bedroom was on the ocean facing side of the house in the original structure, the clients wanted to keep that same view. An office and two guest bedrooms on the other side of the house face the interior courtyard.
A simple dining area is decorated by little more than the phenomenal view. Set off from the main living room, the space is outfitted with a Saarinen Tulip Dining Table, and four Eames Executive Chairs.
Although there were some challenges throughout the process, the home was finished quickly and efficiently, with beautiful results. "Working with an existing structure is always a challenge," says Schultz. "But these clients were really great, because they were able to make all of their decisions up front. They really stuck to their initial choices — as much as possible, anyway."
Love it! We have a mid century ranch in Dallas that we've been slowly updating. We're using a very similar color palette as this house. Any chance you have photos of the exterior facade, kitchen or bathrooms? We need all the inspiration we can get!
