The original home was a tiny 1000 square foot house that had been built in the 40's and never had been updated, typical of many of Los Angeles' post-war neighborhoods. By converting the attached single-car garage into living space and strategically re-configuring walls, we accomplished an open floor plan that dramatically increased the spaciousness of the house, while sticking to a limited budget. To minimize the environmental impact of our project, we donated and reused materials as much as possible, and chose new finishes such as bamboo and cork floors, and Kirei board. The durability and recycled content of materials were also considered in their selection. Energy efficiency was also a concern. Thus appliances and heating systems were selected for their efficiency, and LED lighting was installed in the kitchen.