The 1,750-square foot Manhattan Beach bungalow is home to two humans and three dogs. Originally built in 1929, the bungalow had undergone various renovations that convoluted its original Moorish style. We gutted the home and completely updated both the interior and exterior. We opened the floor plan, rebuilt the ceiling with reclaimed hand-hewn oak beams and created hand-troweled plaster walls that mimicked the construction and look of the original walls. We also rebuilt the living room fireplace by hand, brick-by-brick, and replaced the generic roof tiles with antique handmade clay tiles. We returned much of this 3-bed, 2-bath home to a more authentic aesthetic, while adding modern touches of luxury, like radiant-heated floors, bi-fold doors that open from the kitchen/dining area to a large deck, and a custom steam shower, with Moroccan-inspired tile and an antique mirror. The end result is evocative luxury in a compact space.

The Kitchen re-design is built around work stations. Clean up, cooking, and preparing meals all work in zones. The island is truly an "island" in that it floats between the living room and the work zones. The deep drawers of the island make it an ideal prep zone where the kids can all be a part, and the table seating grows from the cook zone for easy meal transfer. Every day at the lake is easy and this kitchen layout keeps everyone in the family involved.