In 2022, Dacoury Dahi Natche finally found what he was searching for. Home-wise, that is. “We were looking for a home in this area for a while,” says the DJ and music producer, who goes by Dahi, of Los Angeles’s View Park neighborhood, just south of Culver City. “I learned about it maybe ten years ago, and I just loved the architecture and styles of homes here.”

Dahi, who has collaborated with musical artists including Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and Big Sean, was craving a place where he could find a creative flow for his production work while still being under the same roof as his wife and two small children. After looking for six months in View Park, a historically Black neighborhood, Dahi came across a listing for a 1949 ranch-style residence that was less than thrilling at first glance. “The pictures looked terrible,” he says, laughing. “But the square footage looked good, the backyard had lots of space, and it had a basement where I could work from home.”

Before: Exterior

Dacoury Dahi Natche and his family purchased in L.A.’s View Park neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its exemplary ranch-style roofs." layout="" credit="Photo: Shin Shin" photoUserId=""/>

“The house was in pretty bad shape when we started,” says Dahi’s architect, Melissa Shin of local firm Shin Shin. Because the home was a masonry structure, Shin was limited in what she could change inside, and that it’s a historic property listed with the National Register also meant that the exterior facade needed to stay the same. “What we did seems like a light touch, but it was actually a pretty significant undertaking just to clean up the home and simplify some of the spaces,” she says.

After: Exterior

Having seen multiple renovations over the years, the home had accumulated layers that Shin peeled back to the original masonry to reveal its “bones.” This included removing a suspended roof to open up a vaulted ceiling, and stripping faux stone, plaster, and a wall of mirrors that had been added in the living room. “The aesthetic had this feeling of trickery,” says Dahi of the outdated finishes. The black tiled flooring also needed to go, as it made the home feel much darker inside than it actually was.

Before: Living Room

They included a stone fascia around the fireplace in the living room." layout="" credit="Photo by Shin Shin" photoUserId="6887457277202739200"/>

In the process of stripping back, Shin made some interesting discoveries. “Once we took the stone finish off the fireplace, we found all these hidden niches behind it that were part of the home’s original design,” she recalls. Shin highlighted them by cladding the fireplace in a mix of matte and glossy white tile. Masonry walls, like the one forming the entrance, were revealed and freshly painted. “Now, the whole house is a play on what’s original and what’s not,” says Shin.

After: Living Room

A primary goal of the renovation was opening up the floor plan in the living areas, as much as the structure would allow. The galley kitchen had a pass-through to the dining room, but was otherwise closed in. Shin removed two walls—one facing the living room, and one framing the pass-through—and added a structural beam with columns in the kitchen, which also help give shape to a new island. “We were trying to have a light touch so you wouldn’t really notice the new structure,” says Shin. “Now, the two new columns help define the space.”

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

In the primary suite, on the main level, Shin “sacrificed some space” for new amenities that Dahi had asked for. Before, there was a bathtub shower, but now there’s a full shower and separate tub, and an adjacent walk-in closet. The home’s two other bathrooms were also updated, and closets were added to the main hallway.

Before: Bathrooms

After: Bathrooms

Before: Basement

The basement level got a major facelift, too. A family room became Dahi’s recording studio, which now has access to a side yard. An adjacent guest suite was updated with fresh paint and carpet, and its bathroom got new fixtures. “I love that we have the studio downstairs, and that there’s an area next to it outside where people can chill out and take breaks,” says Dahi. “Usually when my kids get home, they’ll come downstairs and say hi and introduce themselves to whoever I’m working with, and then I just work until the evening.”

After: Basement

Even though the studio feels worlds away from upstairs in terms of its design, Dahi wanted it to similarly have a homey feel. “Sometimes recording studios can feel sterile, which makes them lack creative energy,” he says. “I wanted to make a playroom where people could touch different keyboards and hit and tap on things and get stuff recorded.” Cozy sofas and plush carpet help the space feel comfortable and welcoming. Occasionally, Dahi will offer the guest suite to collaborators when they are working together for multiple days. “It feels like its own apartment down there,” he says.

Before: Backyard

After: Backyard

Outside, Shin transformed the overgrown backyard into a functional outdoor living space. “It has these amazing views to downtown L.A.,” says Shin. It’s now one of Dahi’s favorite places to hang out with his family. “It’s cool that the kids can run around in the backyard. We have a swing set back there, and it’s been really fun just to see them play,” he says.

Dahi enjoys seeing his work and family life overlap, he adds. “I love having this space upstairs for my family, but then my kids can come downstairs and engage with really cool musicians and artists,” he says. “Now they can understand what I do and hear the music. It’s been a cool merging of both sides of my life.”

More from Shin Shin:

Budget Breakdown: A $614K Renovation Carves Up an L.A. Bungalow Like a Slice of Swiss Cheese

Budget Breakdown: It Took Twice as Long, But This $266K ADU Built a Close Friendship

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Shin Shin / @shinshinarch

Structural Engineer: C.W. Howe Partners Inc.

Landscape Design: Shin Shin with Orchid Landscape

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