USA Kitchen Trends US Kitchen Renovation Trends Vol. 30/11 | Page 10

Design integrity intact
Against a Mid-century Modern backdrop, this 1960s house has undergone
a major transformation that respects the original architecture,
but tailors it for contemporary living
Mid-century Modern architecture can be
a perfect fit for the way we live today, but
there’s no doubt the original examples of
such homes built in the ’50s and ’60s do
benefit from an extensive makeover.
This Southern California house, in a
prestigious Beverly Hills location, had a
Mid-century Modern decor, but it wasn’t
designed to maximize the spectacular
views from the property.
Developer Izzet Levi Uzyel of DIJ
Group, working with Xten Architecture,
says he took on the project because of the

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views and the distinctive architecture of
the Trousdale neighbourhood.
“We envisioned creating a home with
vast walls of glass opening to a pool – a
home that would epitomize the true California indoor-outdoor lifestyle,” he says.
“At the same time, great consideration
was given to the exterior architecture, to
make sure it would blend with the existing Mid-century Modern architecture in
the neighborhood. It was very important
that this house fit the mould while creating
a new-generation family home.”

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Building contractor Jon Mut of Boswell
Construction says the changes began with
the exterior and the street elevation.
“The original house had many small
windows facing the road, which gave
the facade a rather chopped-up look. We
removed all of these, creating a single
large circular window that better reflects
the Mid-century Modern style. The new
plastered exterior was also extended to
enclose a gated entry, and the entire house
painted white. With new landscaping, it
has a much more dramatic presence.”