Construction for the remodel of David Mazichina and Kirsty King’s Los Angeles home had only just started in February of 2020 when COVID-19 began shutting things down. David, a supervisor in logistics and transportation, realized quickly how this might affect their project down the road.

“I remember they called me on their way to somewhere in the Valley, saying, ‘We’re going to pick out our appliances right now. We think it’s going to be bad,” says architect Susan Nwankpa Gillespie of Nwankpa Design. Despite the uncertainty of the times, it wasn’t an option for the couple to halt progress altogether: “They had no roof,” explains the architect.

Before: Front Exterior

Not only did the project continue, but they were able to wrap up the full-scale remodel of the 1920s storybook-style cottage on time that fall, thanks to Nwankpa Gillespie and the thoroughness and efficiency of the construction team at Substrata Construction—all steered by women of color. “It’s still rare to find projects led entirely by women of color, so I’m glad to have these opportunities,” says Nwankpa Gillespie. “It was really nice to have everyone’s different experiences coming together around this common interest of creating a beautiful home.”

After: Front Exterior

David and Kirsty had lived in their home for over a decade, but with two children and a 1,400-square-foot floor plan, it felt constrained. The couple loved the neighborhood and didn’t want to relocate, so they’d reached out to Nwankpa Gillespie for an overhaul. The existing plan was a cluster of small rooms that didn’t allow for much natural light to pass from one space to the next.

Before: Living and Dining Room

Nwankpa Gillespie added 400 square feet by pushing out walls on all sides to better maximize the space beneath the existing roofline. “It was like, ‘We will make everything count,’” laughs Nwankpa Gillespie. The architect vaulted the ceilings to 17 feet at its highest point, and cladded them in white ash, turning those distinct features into a new focal point.

After: Living and Dining Room

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The previous circulation in the home also wasn’t very forgiving—there were too many choke points. Two bedrooms, including that of the couple, had entrances to the family room, hindering privacy. The kitchen was a narrow galley with the refrigerator and laundry in a separate alcove. And if David and Kirsty were cooking dinner or sitting on the living room couch, there were no sight lines to other rooms to see the kids playing. “It just wasn’t set up for how they wanted to live,” says Nwankpa Gillespie.

The architect reworked the floor plan to connect the living spaces, and accordion doors at the front and back of the home now extend those rooms into the yards. Utilizing the front yard was a bit of an unusual move, says Nwankpa Gillespie, but since the home has more green space there, she thought, “Why not take advantage?” Once the landscaping matures, it will provide more privacy from the street.

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

Nwankpa Gillespie also carved out a more functional hallway—all of the bedrooms now have doors placed here for better separation between public and private spheres. The laundry is now outside the bedrooms, and there’s a new powder bath and better storage.

Before: Circulation

After: Circulation

Before: Primary Suite

After: Primary Suite

Before: Hall Bath

After: Hall Bath

The net effect is a balanced home that ultimately feels larger than its 1,841 square feet—the vaulted ceilings and accordion doors expand the sense of space, while the warmth of the natural material palette and abundant sunlight create intimacy.

“We were trying to do a lot in a small space, and also keep the feeling of open space and airiness. That was the goal, and that was a challenge,” says Nwankpa Gillespie, adding that the family is grateful to be able to live out the remainder of the pandemic in their finished home: “I think it’s made a huge difference on their quality of life.”

Before: Rear Exterior

After: Rear Exterior

More Before & After:

A Yoga Teacher’s Growing Studio Spurs a Sensational Home Renovation

An Abandoned Office Is Reborn as a Serene Garden Home in Barcelona

Project Credits:

Architecture: Nwankpa Design / @nwankpadesign

Builder: Substrata Construction

Structural Engineer: The Office of Gordon L. Polon Structural Engineering

Contractor Referral Service: Sweeten

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Before & After: A Storybook Cottage in L.A. Hits a Much-Needed Growth Spurt