You’d Never Guess This Revamped Midcentury Cabin Is in the Middle of L.A.
"We were looking for a tiny house on a big lot," says designer Kathryn McCullough—and she and her husband, Andrew Bulbrook, found just the place in this 1955 cabin in the quiet, nature-filled Mount Washington neighborhood.
Architect Linda Taalman worked with landscape architecture studio Terremoto and homeowners Kathryn McCullough and Andrew Bulbrook to revamp and expand this 1955 cabin in the woods of Mount Washington. "The intention with the design was to have a conversation with Kemper Nomland, Jr. who was the original architect, by experimenting with the wood framing and ceiling plane," says Taalman.
In addition to expanding the main house, the renovation added an ADU, which was converted from an existing carport. "Linda was clear from the beginning that she didn’t want to imitate the original home," Kathryn says of the additions. "She wanted to shift the language so it was something fresh and new."
Originally designed by architect Kemper Nomland Jr., who designed Case Study House #10 in Pasadena with his father, the compact 850-square-foot home needed some updates and additional space for their growing family, but Kathryn and Andrew saw the midcentury house as the ideal starting point.
The property totals almost one-third of an acre, so the team worked with Terremoto on a landscape scheme, which included adding a new pool. "We wanted to create a dynamic, free-flowing movement through the site that gave different zones for different activities as a continuous flow," says Taalman.
Besides adding space for kids’ bedrooms, the addition to the original cabin also enlarged the kitchen and moved the bedrooms to the back of the house so the main living areas could enjoy the view.
Working together with architect Linda Taalman and landscape architecture studio Terremoto, the team devised a plan for the wooded property that nearly doubled the size of the original house while adding an ADU with overflow family space and room for guests, an ample outdoor living area, and a 40-foot-long pool.
Inside the main house, the kitchen has been completely revamped, and new cork floors run through the interior. The material was selected for its durability, and to echo the home’s midcentury past. "The interior palette is very warm," says Taalman. "There is a lot of wood."
The cabin’s original flagstone fireplace was preserved. "Those stones are actually pulled from the site," says Kathryn. "We wanted to preserve and heighten the essence of the original structure," adds Andrew.
Riffing on the post-and-beam and timber-clad language of the original structure, the additions emphasize the best parts of the 1955 cabin without mimicking its original style.
"The ADU has a more rustic vibe," says Taalman, pointing to the wide-plank Doug fir floors and marine plywood cabinets and wall paneling. "Overall, the intent was to keep the interiors less precious and highly functional."
Now, a journey through the hillside home seamlessly oscillates between indoor and outdoor spaces and past and present. "The idea," says Andrew, "was to use the new to shine a light on the old."
One of the original home’s quirkiest details is its large, circular window, which resembles a porthole. "Inspired by that window, we created a garden with ample ‘islands,’ or different areas for adventure, exploration, and surprise," says designer Dani VonLehe of Terremoto.
The property is an ideal place to host large gatherings with adults and kids. "There are all these different plateaus," says Andrew. "The ADU is on a lower zone near the orchard and crazy old cactus, and the upper zone has the main house, with the barbecue and firepit."
"More stairs lead down to the area where Terremoto convinced us to build the world’s most giant swimming pool," Andrew says with a laugh.
Floor plan of Lark House by Taalman Architecture
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The Hollyhock House: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Ode to California
Project Credits:
Architect of Record: Taalman Architecture / @lindataalman
Interior Design: Kathryn McCullough / @kathrynmcculloughdesign
Builder/General Contractor: Kathryn McCullough
Pool & Hardscape Contractor: Johnston Vidal Projects
Structural Engineer: Craig Phillips Engineering
Landscape Design: Dani VonLehe and David Godshall, Terremoto / @terremoto_landscape
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