Houzz Tour: Steering Toward Subtle Nautical in Los Angeles
From the striped stairs to the nautical touches, this Los Angeles home carries the personal stamp of its owners
Karen Egly-Thompson
May 24, 2014
Houzz Contributor
At a design meeting, clients of architect Jeff Troyer of JWT Associates handed him a striped Paul Smith shirt and asked, “Can you make the stairs look like this?” Troyer let this request, along with one for incorporating an antique porthole window, complement an extensive remodel of a 1940s home in Los Angeles. The result is a vibrant yet relaxing home with a nautical thread — and plenty of personality.
Photography by Lee Manning
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple in the television and technology industries
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 3,026 square feet (281 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
“My clients bought the home for the large, private backyard and pool, and wanted easy access to the exterior from any room,” Troyer says. The existing home had a beautiful elevation, but the interior was a series of dark, choppy spaces.
Troyer and his clients worked on this house in two phases over nearly 10 years. Phase one was completed in 2006 and focused on the living room and master bedroom. Phase two, completed last year, involved adding a second-story loft studio; putting in a new indoor pool/guest bath, guest bedroom, kitchen and dining room; and connecting the interior of the home to the exterior space. Troyer also rebuilt a rotted, vine-choked pergola in the backyard to provide shade.
The two renovations took one year each, and each time the homeowners bravely weathered the construction and lived in the house.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple in the television and technology industries
Location: Los Angeles
Size: 3,026 square feet (281 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
“My clients bought the home for the large, private backyard and pool, and wanted easy access to the exterior from any room,” Troyer says. The existing home had a beautiful elevation, but the interior was a series of dark, choppy spaces.
Troyer and his clients worked on this house in two phases over nearly 10 years. Phase one was completed in 2006 and focused on the living room and master bedroom. Phase two, completed last year, involved adding a second-story loft studio; putting in a new indoor pool/guest bath, guest bedroom, kitchen and dining room; and connecting the interior of the home to the exterior space. Troyer also rebuilt a rotted, vine-choked pergola in the backyard to provide shade.
The two renovations took one year each, and each time the homeowners bravely weathered the construction and lived in the house.
To connect the indoor spaces with the outdoors, Troyer used large doors to create openings that read more as porous facades than traditional door passageways. Here a pocket door connects a covered outdoor patio with the new indoor pool/guest bath — and offers a peek of the new loft stairway.
In the living room, wall-sized telescoping French doors flawlessly bridge the outdoor pergola seating area with the home’s interior.
Floors: hand-scraped hickory
Floors: hand-scraped hickory
The kitchen palette is refreshingly different. Watery blues in two hues are set against pale subway tile and crisp white walls. A vivid red stove and exposed shelving showing off the client’s flame-hued earthenware add an unexpected color.
Paint: Nimbus Gray (upper cabinets); Lead Gray (lower cabinets), both by Benjamin Moore
Paint: Nimbus Gray (upper cabinets); Lead Gray (lower cabinets), both by Benjamin Moore
While on vacation in Michigan, the homeowners found the butcher block for the kitchen island at an antiques store. Troyer designed the island around the butcher block, its overall size dictated by the largest single piece of soapstone he could find. The well-worn wood surface contrasts nicely with the soapstone, a marriage of old with new — like the house itself.
A bar, valuable in the kitchen, is also close to the outdoor seating area.
Backsplash tile: Grove Brickworks, Waterworks
Backsplash tile: Grove Brickworks, Waterworks
Stained louvered alder cabinets in the new dining room lend to the subtle nautical theme. Troyer painted the backs of the shelf walls a cheery red, grounding the space despite the 11-foot vaulted ceiling.
Shelf walls paint: Santa’s Suit, Benjamin Moore
Shelf walls paint: Santa’s Suit, Benjamin Moore
The staircase inspired by the Paul Smith shirt leads to the upper loft/studio.
Troyer says the initial estimate to paint the stair risers was really high — likely requiring a boatload of blue painter’s tape and even more patience. Then they got a bright idea: The homeowner who is a graphic designer and an artist designed a template that Troyer then made into a vinyl wall covering.
It was durable and much more economical. “I love when the final product has the personal stamp of everyone involved,” Troyer says.
Troyer says the initial estimate to paint the stair risers was really high — likely requiring a boatload of blue painter’s tape and even more patience. Then they got a bright idea: The homeowner who is a graphic designer and an artist designed a template that Troyer then made into a vinyl wall covering.
It was durable and much more economical. “I love when the final product has the personal stamp of everyone involved,” Troyer says.
The loft is the space Troyer is most pleased with, but also the one that gave him the greatest challenge. He wanted it to look original to the house from the outside and wanted to keep the profile very low, like a dormer. However, observing structural code requirements meant keeping the structure of the ceiling exposed — which, he says, “left little room for error.”
With a view of the pool from the loft, a built-in daybed is filled with an array of fun throw pillows. Troyer integrated custom bookshelves throughout the room and a wall-mounted TV at one side of the daybed, which also has deep drawers and hidden A/C ducting.
Woodwork paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
Woodwork paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
Teal walls contrasted by crisp white woodwork create a tranquil setting for guests. A second built-in bed with its beadboard-clad storage drawers and with wall sconces above nods toward maritime. The bed also has a spectacular view of the pool.
The clients owned an antique porthole window that they wanted to be included in the renovation. “It was the genesis of the nautical ideas used throughout,” Troyer says. The porthole not only adds light to the guest shower but a little fun too.
The marble open double vanity in the master bathroom is a throwback to traditional style. Custom light boxes built between sleek Robern medicine cabinets flawlessly integrate function while keeping with the clean lines of the bathroom.
Stained louvered alder cabinets in the master bedroom walk-in-closet offer ample storage. Troyer says the original master bedroom was actually too large and had a lot of wasted space in the middle. Reconfiguring the bedroom created enough room for this closet, which is also roomy enough to practice yoga in.
The house, the original plans for which are seen here, was renovated in the 1980s — “much of which we had to undo,” Troyer says.
AFTER: With almost the same footprint, the house is now more open and benefits from a more logical, cleaner flow.
While the front elevation of the home was kept relatively intact, it got a new roof and front door as well as new windows and shutters.
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes
Related Stories
Contemporary Homes
Houzz Tour: Boston Pied-à-Terre Designed for Evenings
By Becky Harris
A designer found on Houzz infuses a condo with a sultry vibe inspired by supper clubs and luxe boutique hotels
Full Story
Guesthouses
Houzz Tour: Light-Filled 704-Square-Foot Modern Cottage
By Becky Harris
An architect and a designer create a light and airy feel, cozied up by layers of textures
Full Story
Outbuildings
Family Gatherings in Argentina Inspire a Pavilion and Guesthouse
By Becky Harris
A new yard adds room for hosting, swimming and bringing part of one homeowner’s culture to her family’s Seattle home
Full Story
Transitional Homes
Houzz Tour: Organic Style on an Avocado Ranch
By Becky Harris
A designer uses a soft neutral palette, handmade tile and reclaimed wood to update a 1980s contemporary home
Full Story
Transitional Homes
Houzz Tour: Elegant, Earthy Ranch House for an Empty-Nest Couple
Design styles, warm neutral colors and special details blend in a Minnesota ranch-style house with a finished basement
Full Story
Contemporary Homes
Houzz Tour: Colorado Forever Home Is a Family Affair
By Becky Harris
The mountain home was designed for gatherings and to make the most of views of Pikes Peak and surroundings
Full Story
Contemporary Homes
Houzz Tour: Open and Inviting Mountain Home Near Lake Tahoe
By Becky Harris
A designer creates a warmly minimalist California getaway that can stand up to snow and mud
Full Story
Homes Around the World
Houzz Tour: Period Home Gains Color and Character
By Kate Burt
Before-and-after photos show how a bold palette and restored features bring warmth and personality to this English house
Full Story
Modern Homes
Houzz Tour: New Home Gets a Midcentury Modern Makeover
By Julie Sheer
A designer in Boston reworks the kitchen and primary suite and adds style with furnishings, lighting and more
Full Story
Barn Homes
Houzz Tour: Old Barns Become an Airy, Modern-Rustic Home
A barn home in Devon, England, sits lightly on the land and offers simple, relaxing spaces for an extended family
Full Story
Benjamin Moore "whipple blue"
Benjamin Moore "whipple blue"
Can I purchase this plan?