This Manhattan Beach patio home was built in 1985 and needed total gutting: the 1980s kitchen, looming fireplace that separated the living room from the kitchen, the master bath without a separate shower, ugly florescent lighting, ceramic tile floors, clunky baseboards and handrails. Top priorities were increasing storage space, updating the master bath to include a soaking tub in addition to a shower and reconfiguring the kitchen/living areas to increase natural light and openness.

The team worked to remove unwanted features that blocked space and add necessary storage items. The open wet room concept is relatively new in the master bath—no glass doors and a flow-through shower. The mosaic tile was arranged to waterfall from the window wall down the sides of the tub to the shower floor.

The living room floor-to-ceiling fireplace was removed, which opened up the whole first floor into spacious, well-lit but distinct rooms. The kitchen island functions traditionally on the kitchen side, but on the living room side it holds the television as an entertainment unit in a sleek, contemporary way—always maximizing storage.

The team created space for “his” closet in the master bedroom so that both people have their own walk-in dressing area. In trade, the laundry equipment was stacked and tucked behind a door in the hall. It is functional without requiring major square footage in this limited space.