Janna Levenstein’s 1950s house was a maze of small, dark rooms. With the help of a draftsman, UCLA architecture student, Google’s free SketchUp software and her contractor, Levenstein turned the space into a bright, sleek, indoor-outdoor living space where every room opens onto nature. The home’s new modern look comes partly from the immense amount of glass she installed.
More...
• 1950s home near LACMA becomes a modern duplex
Also in Home & Garden:
• Westwood bungalow remodel • Free software delivers a remodeled L.A. duplex • Remodel of a Gregory Ain • Epiphyllum: orchid cactus at the L.A. Arboretum • Eye Candy: Home & Garden Photo Galleries(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Janna Levenstein’s 1950s home was a maze of small, dark rooms. With the help of a UCLA architecture student and Google’s free software, she turned the space into a bright, sleek, indoor-outdoor living space where every room opens onto nature.
The remodel created two units from one. Levenstein uses the two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath unit at the back of the property, shown here, as her home. The one-bedroom front unit serves as a guest house and office.
More...
• 1950s home near LACMA becomes a modern duplex
Also in Home & Garden:
• Westwood bungalow remodel • Free software delivers a remodeled L.A. duplex • Remodel of a Gregory Ain • Epiphyllum: orchid cactus at the L.A. Arboretum • Eye Candy: Home & Garden Photo Galleries(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Levenstein, shown here in her bedroom, used large commercial glass pieces from L & D Aluminum Doors on Normandie Avenue in Los Angeles.
More...
• 1950s home near LACMA becomes a modern duplex
Also in Home & Garden:
• Westwood bungalow remodel • Free software delivers a remodeled L.A. duplex • Remodel of a Gregory Ain • Epiphyllum: orchid cactus at the L.A. Arboretum • Eye Candy: Home & Garden Photo Galleries(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
An iPod dock in the living room sends music throughout the house.
More...
• 1950s home near LACMA becomes a modern duplex
Also in Home & Garden:
• Westwood bungalow remodel • Free software delivers a remodeled L.A. duplex • Remodel of a Gregory Ain • Epiphyllum: orchid cactus at the L.A. Arboretum • Eye Candy: Home & Garden Photo Galleries(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Advertisement
Natural light fills the remodels open plan. High-gloss white kitchen cabinet doors are custom pieces painted at an auto-body shop and placed on IKEA cabinetry.
More...
• 1950s home near LACMA becomes a modern duplex
Also in Home & Garden:
• Westwood bungalow remodel • Free software delivers a remodeled L.A. duplex • Remodel of a Gregory Ain • Epiphyllum: orchid cactus at the L.A. Arboretum • Eye Candy: Home & Garden Photo Galleries(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The entry to Levensteins main unit opens onto the living and dining area. The dining table is her design. The table and its steel stools were made at a now-defunct metal fabricating shop in El Monte. The tops of the stools were painted to match the kitchen cabinets.
More...
• 1950s home near LACMA becomes a modern duplex
Also in Home & Garden:
• Westwood bungalow remodel • Free software delivers a remodeled L.A. duplex • Remodel of a Gregory Ain • Epiphyllum: orchid cactus at the L.A. Arboretum • Eye Candy: Home & Garden Photo Galleries(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
A long, panoramic window frames Levenstein in the kitchen. Says the voice-over actress turned house flipper: I went nuts doing the inside.
More...
• 1950s home near LACMA becomes a modern duplex
Also in Home & Garden:
• Westwood bungalow remodel • Free software delivers a remodeled L.A. duplex • Remodel of a Gregory Ain • Epiphyllum: orchid cactus at the L.A. Arboretum • Eye Candy: Home & Garden Photo Galleries(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)