Assis

When picturing their new home, the client wanted a Hollywood Glam experience for entertaining friends and relaxing with family. They also wanted to transform the seldom-used outdoor space under an existing porch into a full kitchen with easy access to and from the pool.

The lower level had an unusual layout containing a number of awkward, stepped-back niches and support posts in odd places, which presented a space-planning challenge. Prior to the remodel, the space was divided into a living area, a game area, a play area and a poorly functioning bar area. The room as a whole was ill-defined and had a dated Tuscan-style feel.

First, the main space needed to specify a function for the stepped-back niches and overall odd layout. The design team created a custom banquette, a snack and popcorn station and an espresso bar, giving each niche an intentional purpose without making substantial structural changes. They replaced the existing bar with a secondary lounging and movie-watching area, as well as turned a small, windowless space into a secret safe room. Next, they dealt with the oddly placed posts. To balance the space, the team moved one post down—widening the expanse between them—and installed a custom-designed and locally made dye-cut metal screen to create visual separation.

Outside, the design team enclosed the open space under the porch, transforming it into a multipurpose four-season room with a fully-equipped kitchen bar and lounge area. This space also features a 23-foot stacking glass door wall that opens to the adjacent pool area. Part of the challenge when creating this space was selecting materials, lighting and furniture that could handle temperature and humidity changes, along with finding doors leading into the main lower-level area that would protect this space from temperature shifts.

Finally, the interior fireplace was changed into a two-sided, see-through fireplace to benefit both indoor and outdoor living areas and allow the fire to be seen from the pool. The client was thrilled with the transformation, as their once least-favorite spaces in the home became their newfound favorites.