Contemporary residential redesign transforms California family home
The contemporary redesign of this South Pasadena residence by architecture studio Medium Plenty transforms California family home
Husband and wife team Gretchen Krebs and Ian Read of Northern California architecture practice Medium Plenty are experienced hands when it comes to home renovations. The pair have expertly architecturally upgraded several residences by paying close attention to existing conditions, while inserting modern gestures, light and a sense of spatial generosity into a domestic, everyday setting. Their recent project falls in this category too, a complete contemporary residential redesign of a South Pasadena family home for Michael Cosentino, a senior producer at a National Public Radio station (KPCC), and his wife Rion Nakaya, founder and editor of digital educational platform The Kid Should See This.
The project involved the transformation of an existing, nearly a century-old South Pasadena residence – originally, Nakaya's family home. Planning their move-in, the owners discovered they were in need of more space. They were also after a modern interior aesthetic to fit their lifestyle. Their brief suggested balancing classic and modern, warm and minimalist, sharply poised and contemporary with homely and inviting. The new design blends all this with a sophisticated nod to midcentury styles and the aesthetics of modern Japanese houses.
At the same time, the project also transformed the property into a practical, cross-generational home, by redesigning the existing garage into an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU, that is, a smaller housing unit attached to a main, single family home). Nakaya's mother now lives there. This allows for ‘separate, yet communal living’, the team explain, their design bridging different needs and lifestyles while bringing the family together in a single plot.
The main, single-level space has been opened up, now decluttered and flooded with light through large openings and strategically placed skylights at various points in the house. A rear addition expands the living space. ‘[The] goal was to provide a highly functional space with enough room for all family members, on a tight budget and footprint, while still being able to eke out some good, impactful design. Also [important was] indoor/outdoor living, given the warm California climate and the ability to live easily outdoors for much of the year,’ say Krebs and Read.
A simple palette of woods, along with the owners’ collection of furniture and objects enrich the interior. This is further enhanced by customised details. Still, simplicity remains a key theme throughout this clever residential redesign. ‘The project isn’t flashy or complicated. Rather than using new technologies, it is almost lo-tech,’ the architects continue.
Nakaya adds: ‘Michael and I discussed a lot of styles that we like, primarily Japanese minimalism and midcentury modern. Medium Plenty found the shared aspects of those movements and, along with their studio vision, translated that into an affordable design that met the requirements set by the house’s historic codes. Design rounds in their Oakland office were fun and easy for us, because we already liked their approach to aesthetics and functionality. And then, all along the way, they were responsive to our feedback, kept us in the loop, and worked collaboratively with us on the details.’
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Dial into the Boring Phone and more smartphone alternatives
From the deliberately dull new Boring Phone to Honor’s latest hook-up with Porsche, a host of new devices that do the phone thing slightly differently
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Berlinde De Bruyckere’s angels without faces touch down in Venice church
Belgian artist Berlinde De Bruyckere’s recent archangel sculptures occupy the 16th-century white marble Abbazia di San Giorgio Maggiore for the Venice Biennale 2024
By Osman Can Yerebakan Published
-
Discover Acqua di Parma’s new Mandarino di Sicilia fragrance at Milan Design Week 2024
Acqua di Parma and Fornice Objects bring the splendour of Sicilian mandarin fields to Milan to celebrate new fragrance Mandarino di Sicilia
By Simon Mills Published
-
A Petra Island house rises from Frank Lloyd Wright's original drawings
Based on Frank Lloyd Wright drawings, the cantilevering Petra Island Massaro House, located in New York’s Hudson Valley, is now open to visitors
By Craig Kellogg Published
-
An Upper West Side apartment by General Assembly nods to its history
An Upper West Side apartment in New York, born out of the reimagining of two neighbouring units, is refreshed by General Assembly for a young family
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
New York's Leica store echoes the brand's blend of heritage and innovation
Leica store throws open its doors in New York's Meatpacking District, courtesy of Brooklyn based Format Architecture Office
By Adrian Madlener Published
-
Hudson Valley Residence is a low-lying retreat that seamlessly blends into the horizon
Designed by HGX Design, Hudson Valley Residence is a scenic home offering unobstructed views across the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Boise Passive House’s bold gestures support an environmentally friendly design
Boise Passive House by Haas Architecture combines sleek, contemporary design and environmental efficiency
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
At the Hilbert Museum of California Art’s expanded home, art and architecture converge
The Hilbert Museum of California Art expands its home, courtesy of Los Angeles architecture studio Johnston Marklee
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Pearlman Cabin by John Lautner is an organic Californian mountain retreat
John Lautner’s midcentury Pearlman Cabin, tucked away in the Californian mountain resort of Idyllwild, is a striking example of organic architecture
By Mimi Zeiger Published
-
Albert Frey’s Aluminaire House is reborn in Palm Springs
Aluminaire House, designed by legendary modernist Albert Frey, has been reconstructed outside the Palm Springs Art Museum
By Michael Webb Published