Beach bungalow sprouts a modern addition

It’s a familiar L.A. story: Scott Trattner’s commute from his Beachwood Canyon home to his advertising job at Media Arts Lab in Venice was killing him. He longed to close that gap.

He and wife Sharonne got their wish when they found a rundown little beach bungalow on a 3,420-square-foot lot, a block from Venice’s charming "walk streets." But they soon had to face the fact that their family of three was cramped in only 900 square feet. "We were idealists," Scott says. "We wanted to prove that we could live in a small space. But it was hard."

The solution: A simple, modern, white-box addition designed by architect Talbot McLanahan. Together, the two wings of the house -- old and new -- now form a 1,600-square-foot family home bursting with color and contemporary style. See how the Trattners and McLanahan opened up the old house and linked it to its minimalist addition, which includes a new master suite, children's bedroom and cozy deck.

Read more about the Trattners’ home in our photo gallery, which includes a plethora of budget-minded decorating ideas, such as the exposed framing lumber, shown at right, that acts as a screen for the staircase.

-- Lisa Boone

Photo: Christina House / For The Times

Comments

[spinsLPs]

No photos of the addition?

[Joseph Perez]

Hey guys the house looks great! I just read the article, very cool...