“Outdoor space is a must in sunny Southern California,” says Timothy Cheng, cofounder of the design/build firm Modus Development. To introduce more of this essential feature to a 1921 cottage in Highland Park, Los Angeles, his team improved indoor/outdoor connections, made over the backyard, and installed a sky deck twelve feet above the ground.

Before: Front Facade

After: Front Facade

Before the roof-to-studs remodel, the home had rather run-of-the-mill finishes, and the living areas were arranged in a dysfunctional layout. The front door opened to a room that was too large to be an entry, but too small to accommodate an alternate purpose and comfortable circulation. That area led to a kitchen with more wasted space, including a narrow niche that may have been a pantry, and a single door to the backyard.

“Prior to our renovations, the living room and kitchen were not in great shape, and the ceiling height was low,” says Cheng. “We knew we had to add a proper primary en suite bedroom to the rear of the main house, increase the square footage of the kitchen, and incorporate more indoor/outdoor design elements.”

Before: Entry and Living Room

After: Entry, Dining Room, and Living Room

The house started out around 1,000 square feet, but a previous addition introduced 400 square feet for an extra bedroom. The team started by carving out a proper foyer at the entry, and then dedicated the remaining space to an adjacent dining room and kitchen, which flows easily out to the backyard. Both the kitchen and main suite now have large glass sliders that connect to the back patio and the stairs to the roof deck.

Modus Development introduced an arch motif at the doorways, and over storage alcoves, that ties the different rooms together, while newly vaulted ceilings and skylights bring in more natural light. Wide-plank white oak floors, white walls, honed Carrara marble, and brass accents give the home a neutral and cohesive material palette.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

The interior staging was provided by Francesca Grace, who brought in a medley of sculptural furnishings to contrast against the white walls and oak detailing. The pieces “stand out on their own without being overwhelming,” says Grace, who designed a custom swoop chair in the living room to fit the mix.

After: Bathroom

After: Twin Bedroom

Before: Main Bedroom and Bathroom

After: Main Suite

In the backyard, the design team shored up the structure of a previously unpermitted ADU, permitted it properly, and reimagined it into a comfortable, 580-square-foot studio space with a bedroom, bathroom, and open living spaces. Glass sliders now open to a multifunctional patio with a soaking tub and fire pit.

In addition to the new outdoor dining room, the roof deck adds even more outdoor space and a whole different outlook on the neighborhood—not to mention sunset views—making this once-standard cottage something more singular. “Roof decks are quite rare in homes in Highland Park,” says Cheng.