Before & After: A Home Under the Hollywood Sign Goes Beachy

When updating a vintage home with a past, a designer has to carefully carry out a vision without erasing the past. Such was the case for this vintage home, located underneath the Hollywood sign in the Beachwood Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles and redesigned by Justin Krzyston with Stonehurst Construction.

The circa-1950s home was happily lived in by the original owners until they had passed away. “Their children wanted the home to be updated, but not completely changed,” Justin says. “I worked on the home with the promise that I wouldn’t change the home’s integrity.”

Though challenging, starting with such a charming property to begin with made the task of remodeling the home a little easier. It boasted a good layout, fantastic beams and an adorable fireplace.

However, the home didn’t have the best curb appeal. The off-white exterior with matching trim makes this a home you just didn’t really notice. Even a great feature like those sliding doors fade into the background.

The new gray exterior is on-trend, but it also allows for contrast. The white doors and trim now stand out beautifully. Justin also rehabbed the patio and added new sod to the landscape.

The best feature of the home was undoubtedly the beams in the living room. The fireplace in the space is a close second, but the placement in opposition to the floor-to-ceiling sliding doors was a bit awkward.

While we loved the original ceilings, the white coat of paint does draw the eye to the beams (left in their original finish). Justin also moved the fireplace and added even more windows that dramatically increased the amount of natural light in the space.

Here’s the other side of the great room. We’re suckers for the original screen and built-ins, but it did take up space that could be put to better use.

Removing these features allowed Justin to create a flexible space that could be used for dining, working or just hanging out. This versatility was also made possible by moving the fireplace, which also freed up wall space for art.

In a vintage home, the kitchen isn’t always suitable to current-day needs. The tiled counters weren’t exactly spacious and the wood cabinets didn’t suit the new decor scheme. Flow wasn’t great either: You’d prep food on the limited counter surface, then run back and forth to the oven.

A kitchen island helped expand the prep surface while also offering additional seating. The wood floors, mix of dark and marble counters and white cabinetry complement the new look of the updated home.

To see more property renovations, visit Stonehurst Construction.