Designer Tony Wei has long had an interest in fixing up interiors. As a kid, Wei would visit yard sales and flea markets with his mom, sometimes finding old furniture to bring home and rehab. Those early experiences have evolved into a passion for renovating old houses as an adult. “I love to restore homes. I'm just attracted to vintage stuff. Things with character, things with patina,” says Wei. “I have a natural inclination towards tired old things that need a new lease on life.”

Before: Exterior

When Wei found a 1951 ranch in the Monterey Hills district of Los Angeles, the home’s mishmash of finishes—from the mirrored bar in the living room that harkened to the ’80s to the sunshine-yellow kitchen cabinets—called for an intervention.

“I wanted to respect its architectural origins and its integrity as a midcentury ranch-style home,” says Wei. “And from there, we just ended up trying to insert a level of design continuity throughout, whether repeating a specific tile in the various bathrooms or repeating a specific color.”

After: Exterior

For the interior, Wei started by addressing the home’s circulation. The entry was an enclosed foyer encased in dark wood, mirror, and dated flooring. “Things felt claustrophobic in a way,” says Wei. He removed a space-hogging closet and replaced it with a low-lying, raised planter, keeping in tune with the home’s original architectural era and creating sight lines between the front door and the main living room.

Before: Entry

After: Entry

Before moving into interiors, Wei earned a master’s degree in film, which informs his approach to design: “We're all just trying to be visual storytellers, right? It’s just a different medium, whether it’s film or a house as your canvas.”

Before: Living Room

After: Living Room

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Before: Powder Room

After: Powder Room

Before: Dining Room

After: Dining Room

Before: Kitchen

After: Kitchen

Before: Den

After: Den

Before: Master Suite

After: Master Suite

Before: Garage

After: Garage

More Before & After:

A Seattle Midcentury Shakes Off a Wacky Addition

An Abandoned Schoolhouse in New Orleans Now Holds Chic Apartments

A Dilapidated Spanish Revival Home in L.A. Gets a Dazzling Renovation

Project Credits:

Interior Design: Tony Wei / @happyglen

Landscape Design: Augustin Cruz, Cruz Landscape

Staging: Platform Home

Custom Carpentry: Jamie Fraser

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Before & After: A Muddled Midcentury Ranch in L.A. Gets a Suave Update