Located in the heart of Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, the Firenze Residence is a renovation of a 1970s house. The goal of the project was to create an indoor-outdoor experience, set within a subtropical landscape that creates a sense of being immersed in the canyon.
The two-story, A-frame house spans over 3,900 square feet. At a road’s peak, gated entry opens to the auto court, leading to the garage and glass-wall entrance. The angular staircase joins the lower and upper levels featuring the main living areas and a master bedroom, and with its glass railings provides a visual connection from the front of the house to the rear.
The open floor plan of the second level gives a loft-like feeling. The living room featuring a vaulted ceiling is adjacent to the dining room and kitchen area, seamlessly connected by a built-in concrete bench and a fireplace located down the middle of the ridge. White oak flooring helps to keep the interior bright and softens the industrial look of the high, beamed ceilings. The lower floor with its Jack-and-Jill configuration is reserved for junior bedrooms and an intimate family room including a custom-made bar.
The employment of expansive glass doors extends the kitchen and living room into the landscaped backyard featuring a wooden deck, a swimming pool, and a built-in outdoor lounge. Situated below the hills of Laurel Canyon, the hill spins through the house and down and integrates with the building.
In addition to extending the chopped floorplan into multiple directions and engaging the building with the property, the aim of the renovation was to soften the 70s framework and inject the house with a contemporary look, achieved by a new façade and skin of the building.