This 1954 House by Powers, Daly, and DeRosa Features a Koi Pond That Flows Under a Glass Wall
Along tree-lined streets in the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach, California, the austere facade of this single-story home reveals little of its true intention. Designed in 1954 by the eminent firm of Powers, Daly, and DeRosa, the 2,500-square-foot home is built around a U-shaped floor plan, complete with an indoor Koi pond that flows under a glass wall.
A modest brick exterior hides the home's unique interior design. The flat roof and clean lines are the only cues to the midcentury modern compound that awaits.
The home's architects Powers, Daly, and DeRosa are most known for designing some of Southern California's most famed modernist bowling alleys, including the distinctive, A-framed Covina Bowl.
The trio is also recognized as pioneers of the Googie or Populuxe aesthetic, a futurist style of architecture inspired by post-war American car culture and popular among coffee houses and motels of that era.
A fiddle leaf fig tree grows alongside a Koi pond in the middle of the living and dining room. The exposed brick wall contrasts with the neutral-colored cork flooring.
The Koi pond appears as an interior extension of the outdoors. Water flows underneath a large pane of glass to an exterior half of the pond that is shaded underneath the covered patio.
The current homeowners spent over a year living out of the home as it was renovated. Beyond updates to the kitchen and bathrooms, other modernizations were completed, including the addition of solar panels on the roof.
On one side of the U-shaped floor plan is a large kitchen and family room. An additional bonus area and bathroom are also on this side of the house.
The updated kitchen features custom maple and plywood cabinets built to resemble the original space. An exposed brick wall and triangular backsplash tiles further accent the modern design.
Throughout the home, thin panes of floor-to-ceiling glass serve as windows along exterior walls in between the exposed framing. The transparent style adds a striking element to the home's living areas and allows warm natural light to seep in.
On the opposite side of the home, a hallway leads to the master bedroom. The staggered wall of glass appears to follow a geometric pattern established by the slate floors.
Along the hallway a guest bedroom is open to the exposed wall framing. The narrow wooden beams stretch across the room and appear to slowly recess into the ceiling.
From this angle, the hallway emerges as a canopy of thin wooden frames. A built-in desk faces the glass wall and patio, providing visual separation for the bedroom.
The master bedroom features floor-to-ceiling windows that soak the space in warm natural light. Thin wooden beams gradually run along the ceiling and extend to support a roof overhang.
One of three bathrooms, the updated master bath features the same plywood and maple cabinetry as in the kitchen. Colorful accents and modern features complement the space.
The resort-like backyard features a solar-heated pool surrounded by a large flagstone patio. Closer to the house, a more intimate garden area includes a mosaic-tiled outdoor shower.
The backyard patio and pool glow in the moonlight, recalling a feeling of glory days from the retro Googie era.
1062 E Tehachapi Drive is currently listed for $1,499,000 by Nate Cole of Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance.
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