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The neighborhood is zoned so tour buses cannot pass through

This $7.5M mansion is steeped in old Hollywood glamour, with luxe finishes and views from Downtown L.A. to the Pacific Ocean.

A staircase leads to a bridge linking the upper wing.

The wall and floors are tongue-and-groove plywood.

In the booming British beach town of Margate, longtime locals Natasha Hart and Oliver Whitmarsh teamed up with newcomer architects RL-a to salvage a 19th-century workers’ lodging. Their son Stan’s bedroom includes a vintage Habitat Skipper bed by Loïck Peyron and a climbing wall designed by Natasha. The plywood finishes are kid-friendly and also affordable.

The back is now a clean expanse of steel and glass, with folding doors by Trade Glaze giving wide access to the outdoors. The table by SCAB Design and IKEA chairs were found, like most of the furnishings, via closing sales and secondhand websites.

Architects Tim Ratliff and Tam Landells tripled the footprint of the four-room house and increased the square footage to almost 2,000. Blue doors that were part of the original rear wall connect the “snug,” or sitting room, to the new space. The chair was Natasha’s step-granddad’s; the 1960s pendant was found on eBay.

The window frames, side gate, and front door were brightened with custom shades from Johnstone’s Paint—a playful blue-yellow-orange color scheme that is carried throughout the house.

As part of a nine-month renovation, the exterior of Natasha Hart and Oliver Whitmarsh’s cottage in Margate, England, was converted from pebble dash to insulated render.

Custom walnut cabinetry designed by Michael Weidner at Radhaus Kabinett Co. are framed by a Cambria Brittanicca Warm backsplash and topped with Q Premium Natural Quartz and Calico white quartz countertops.

The original stair railing was removed, refurbished, and reinstalled.

In the foyer, an accent wall covered in Farrow & Ball Helleborus wallpaper sets the tone for the home’s retro-meets-contemporary aesthetic.