Pro Portfolio: Huntington Beach tract home remodeled with a modern touch

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Every Monday, we post a recently built, remodeled or redecorated home with commentary from the designer. This week’s profile looks at how designers updated a tract home, below right, with an eye toward sustainability.

Project: modernization and seismic retrofit.

Location: Huntington Beach.

Design-build: Dweller West. Architect: Susan J. McDonough, McDonough & Associates. Structural and civil engineering: Engineering Alignment Systems, (714) 664-8991. Mechanical: C. Brion Engineering. Electrical: Nader Shams, P.E. (818) 601-6429. Landscape: Love Design.

Dweller West’s description: This traditional 1970s residence was hardly the kind of home that would garner a second look. It had small rooms, poor views and too much trim. The three-car garage was larger than the kitchen and master bedroom combined. The single-pane windows were leaky and worn, and there was evidence of earthquake damage.

We were asked to do a total renovation that included a seismic retrofit. The mission was twofold: to modernize the house with sustainable materials and green technologies and to bring a stylistic panache that would enable the house to stand apart from its neighbors.

To see more of the finished work, keep reading ...

One of the main challenges was retaining the home’s original architectural lines and elements while allowing it to make an imaginative statement within its tract environment. The home now greets you with a custom pivot front door weighing 400 pounds, above.

The most striking aspect of the remodel was replacing the old and weathered wood siding with Forest Stewardship Council-certified ipe, custom milled to have a 1/8-inch reveal. Team architect Susan J. McDonough used the wood’s natural colors and tones to add warmth and richness to the front exterior. The home’s original stucco was removed to allow access for the seismic retrofit; it was upgraded with a smooth plaster finish. The front exterior column was removed and the roof line shaved back to present a more modern line.

Nearly 860 square feet were added to the final design, expanding the kitchen, living room, dining room and master bedroom. The enlarged kitchen incorporates blue and green concrete countertops, slanted island walls and a built-in butcher block. An elevated fireplace and hearth were built with thought to guests gathering during dinner parties.

An entryway with high ceiling toward a living area with custom concrete fireplace. Reclaimed vintage timber masks the structural steel of the seismic retrofit and adds a rustic counterpoint to the home’s modern elements.

The dining room was placed below grade, down from the adjacent rooms, creating a formal eating area. One of the homeowner’s desires was to incorporate as many green features while staying within budget. Sustainable elements include solar panels, a reflective roof, an efficient heating and cooling system, a low-voltage lighting system and non-toxic finishes and materials for the cabinets and flooring.

The homeowners were able to stay in the home during construction. In order to meet the accelerated schedule, the design-build team integrated designers with tradesmen from the start, eliminating miscommunication and better defining the scope, schedule and budget for all the work.

A Woolly Pocket living wall, above, is part of the landscaping, as is a salt-system spa. The nearby Bolsa Chica Wetlands served as inspiration. The pocket planters are backed with copper cladding that will patina over time.

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-- Lisa Boone

Pro Portfolio appears here every Monday. Submit projects to [email protected].

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