The challenges presented by this renovation project were many: (1) Although the existing house was in terrible condition and had been sold as a ‘tear-down,’ it had been originally designed by Webber and represented the 1950s modern/classic style. The owners decided, ultimately, to preserve its history and ‘work with it’; (2) The existing structure was also very small and did not suit the owner’s requirements; and (3) The home contained a walled, interior courtyard, similar to those designed to provide privacy for a family living on a busy, Mediterranean street. It was, however, redundant on a lot in a secluded forest.
Elena Kalman turned the interior courtyard/garden into a family room and incorporated its stone garden walls and randomly shaped stone pavers into its foyer design. She also carefully redesigned the existing portions of the house to preserve the best features of the original architecture, including: its large glass sliding panels, its roof overhangs facing south and its abundant, built-in shelving.