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Project Details:

Location: Los Angeles, California

Architect: Lovers Unite / @loversunite

Footprint: 2,520 square feet

Builder: Innovative Renovations In

Structural Engineer: Gordon Polon

Cabinetry Design: Evergreen Woodcraft

Photographer: Chris Mottalini / @chrismottalini

From the Architect: “Overlooking the hills of Silver Lake, production designer James Chinlund and artist Clare Crespo’s once nondescript Los Angeles home has been transformed into a place that is more reflective of their sensibilities and takes advantage of the site’s prime location and views. Originally purchased by the couple 17 years ago, Chinlund and Crespo enlisted architect Alan Koch and designer Karen Spector of firm Lovers Unite for the renovation they had always intended where a selection of carefully plotted architectural interventions and material shifts completely reimagined the interior of the home.

“An underutilized outdoor balcony at the back of the house was brought inside, creating a new social area and dining room for the home. A wall of windows and an expansive built-in banquette with Opio Prussiana fabric by Pierre Frey frames and highlights the breathtaking Silver Lake views of sweeping hills. A vintage dining table from Lawson Fenning occupies a portion of the space along with Jean Prouvé chairs. The ceiling is covered in slats of reclaimed Douglas fir, providing a woodsy, Japanese-inspired charm that pays homage to Chinlund’s first New York apartment.

“The once tight, closed-off kitchen now opens up into the dining area. NovaCork wall panels by Homasote cover the walls. Custom cabinets with an integrated pull made of Douglas fir veneer supply storage, while Vermont slate countertops accent the rest of the space along with a Bilia Mini white table lamp by Gio Ponte. A custom copper stove hood and cork floors contribute to the kitchen and overall house’s natural yet colorful palette, fulfilling Crespo’s demand for more color while staying true to Chinlund’s design sensibility and preference for honesty in materials, not applied color.

“The home’s exterior features wooden panels which hint at the various uses of woodwork inside. A stepping stone walkway can be found in the backyard, along with lush landscaping and a pavilion that once served as a playhouse for the couple’s daughter, then a “Covid therapy room” during the pandemic. The living room has been clad in rough cedar planks. A Togo Michel Ducaroy sectional by Ligne Roset wraps around the space. Other furnishings include a Moroccan rug, and a painting by Jack Wilkinson, along with a cocktail table made by Chinlund out of a burl of found wood, and an original ceramic pot by Crespo which rests on the fireplace.

“The lower level offers plenty more space for entertaining and/or lounging. A stairwell to this area features an original slatted screen designed by Chinlund. This area is decorated with an LGS Studio vase, a small vessel by Crespo, a vintage burl lamp, and a Sic Kid painting. A second dining space with a similarly striking view as upstairs features a Lawson Fenning table and locally sourced chairs, while a Tom Dixon copper pendant completes the set. A sitting room features a Ray Wilkes chiclet chair and a very large chair by Chinlud which was used in a Roberto Cavalli photo shoot. A Moroccan rug and Nancy Kwon vase further furnish the space. Chinlund and Crespo’s almost two-decade journey to finish this project is a testament that good things come to those who wait.”