ARCHITECTURE

Who doesn’t love a good before and after? When people arrive at the location I renovated and designed, Two Palms West, they immediately comment on how beautiful it is and how good they feel within the space. Shortly after a, ‘thank you’, I always comment, ‘you should have seen it before’.

“It was my intention to maintain the integrity of the home by highlighting the archways, wood detailing, vaulted ceilings while simultaneously accentuating the blend of mid-century modern nods visible through the furniture within the space”.

“It was built in 1930 with a sensitivity to the sun path, causing a constant pouring of light onto the south facing patio, the main structure and the backyard”.

From top to bottom, there was a complete renewal. From a new roof to roof repairs, spanish tile replacements, a gutter and drainage system, electrical outdoor lighting and outlets, casement window refurbishing, stucco repairs and full paint job, extension of the patio footprint, concrete pour and new patio and stairs tiled, a built-in gas fireplace with new walls to enclose the patio. There was the removal of additional root systems, two large trees, plants, a concrete koi pond, a lava rock fountain and soil from the previous front neglected garden.

The structure was almost 100 years old and was not updated in over 40 years. There was a 50′ tree planted so close to the great room that the front of the house looked like a car hit it. The roots broke through the foundation, but it was salvable. The flat roof had been poorly patched for decades and required a complete removal and brand new installation. Stucco walls gutted from water damage. New electrical, HVAC, lighting, plumbing and exterior water mitigation were just a few of the things necessary before even making it look good, it fundamentally needed to function as well. Here’s the thing, the bones were good, better than good, but the overall appearance was dubious. A true gift was that it was not previously purchased and flipped with all the charm and essence gutted, allowing a visionary to arrive and breathe life back into it while maintaining its integrity.

This background lends context into the innovation and effort, designing, sourcing, negotiating, programing and hours managing that this level of outcome requires. It was a labor of love and like love, one had to be patient and resilient. Without honoring what went into it, the intentional design schematic, the selection of California native plants to create safe havens for bees and butterflies and restoring the almost one hundred year old elements to maintain the essence of the property would be felt, but not fully understood.

From the success of Two Palms West Chandra has been approached with new opportunities to design additional spaces and structures. Enjoy the below before and afters of Two Palms West.