This Mid-Century House in LA Felt Too Segregated to Be a Family Home — Now It Gets the Balance Just Right Between Open-Concept and Intimate-Sized Rooms

To many, the idea of knocking down a mid-century Los Angeles home is akin to a cardinal sin. But, as this sensitive home renovation proves, it is more than possible to bring a home into the present day, without completely abandoning its past.

When Jamie and Chad Braverman first purchased this beautiful mid-century modern home, it was far from the family-friendly property they envisioned raising their two children in. Untouched for years, and with an outdated floor plan that lacked any sense of cohesion, a full gut renovation was in order. And, with Christie Ward and Staver Gray from Ward + Gray leading them through the process, they were able to create a home that accurately reflected the young family's needs, while maintaining the rich design history that drew them towards this home in the first place.

"We wanted the home to feel approachable and deeply comfortable, yet still design-forward and refined," explains Christie. And with the free-flowing floorplan and laid-back sense of California cool, that goal was achieved tenfold.

The Inspiration

When renovating a mid-century home in the heart of Los Angeles, you don't have to search particularly far for inspiration. However, as much as these roots were crucial to the design, it was important to both the clients and the designers that this home was not restricted by its origins — of course, there would be references to midcentury design, but above all, it was designed to reflect the family it was built for.

Much of this influence can be seen in the general sense of form and shape throughout the home: "We set out to create a strong sense of place rooted in California, drawing on silhouettes that span from the 1950s through today," explains Christie Ward. Combining the midcentury modern design elements with more contemporary features and timeless furniture allowed the space to feel authentic. "The shapes nod to midcentury ease but feel current and relaxed rather than nostalgic," she says.

This sense of authenticity rings true throughout the home. It's considered, but not staged; there is genuine intention behind each design decision, and the result is a home that actually seems lived-in. "The silhouettes are generous and inviting. Nothing overly fussy or pretentious. Every piece was chosen to feel lived-in and easy, without sacrificing intention," says Christie.

Part of this came down to knowing how to thrift and sourcing interesting pieces that spanned design history, blending Art Deco furniture with more contemporary pieces. Explaining this approach, Christie says, "We blended styles and eras, creating a dialogue between pieces rather than adhering to a single period. The result feels personal, nuanced, and curated."

Although the interiors intentionally span across eras and styles, at the core of the home is a distinctly Californian sense of laid-back ease. Even down to the hand-knotted, custom rugs used throughout the home, "while the methods are time-honored, the palettes are distinctly Californian: light, bright, and softly optimistic," says Christie.

The Process

True to its origins, this home, which had barely been touched since the 50s, was designed for a completely different way of life.

"Its layout didn’t reflect the way a young family lives today — the rooms felt compartmentalized and disconnected," says Staver Gray. Going on to say, "Other areas, like the lanai, felt dated and no longer aligned with the new homeowners’ needs."

Through a full gut renovation, knocking through walls and reworking the space, Staver and Christie developed a sophisticated take on the classic open plan concept, ideal for modern family life. There's a real sense of flow from one room to the next, while still maintaining some degree of separation between the spaces through careful zoning.

Because of the level of structural work needed, many of the original architectural details in the home were lost along the way. And yet, even after the redesign, the home's original character remains true. "Built in 1956, the house naturally guided us toward midcentury architectural gestures and furniture silhouettes," says Staver. "It was such a golden age for design in Los Angeles, and we found endless inspiration in that spirit — embracing clean lines, sculptural forms, and a sense of effortless living."

"All the changes that we made to the property stemmed from our main goal - to transform the home from something that was rather compartmentalized and dated into a true family home that reflects the way the owners live," says Christie.

The owners of the property, Chad and Jamie, needed a home that supported both their social life and their family life. As Christie explains, the couple "split their time between entertaining friends and chasing after their two sons." So, creating a design that was equally suited to both of these activities was a top priority.

Creating a new, open floorplan was instrumental to this process. "We reworked the layout to better suit their lifestyle, opening up the floor plan to create one expansive gathering space where everyone could be together," says Christie.

At the centre of this new layout, acting as the heart of the home, is the generously sized chef's kitchen. Before the redesign, the home had a long, narrow kitchen, completely disconnected from the rest of the home.

The new kitchen, by contrast, orbits around a large kitchen island, with plenty of space to gather around, and is flanked by an additional dining space and lounge area, the perfect hosting layout.

The Design

While the majority of the home is distinctly Californian in style, "The design of the bar room is an ode to Miami, the city where the couple first met," explains Staver.

Once a 'lanai', an outdoor-indoor living-style veranda that the couple had little use for, the idea for turning it into a Miami-themed home bar initially came from Chad, who had conceived of it as a surprise for Jamie, the ultimate romantic gesture.

Drawing on the city's Art Deco design heritage, Christie and Staver sought out authentic vintage light fittings, like the dramatic chandelier, and paired them with graphic, printed bar stools and luxurious checkerboard marble floors - for a touch of Californian cool. "The result is a layered mix of coasts and eras — relaxed yet refined, nostalgic yet fresh," says Staver.

Not just a romantic gesture, though, in its new form, the bar acts as a bridge between the outdoors and the inside, allowing socialization to effortlessly flow between the two. "In the evenings, it serves as an intimate entertaining space for the couple; by day, doors leading directly to the pool allow it to double as a sort of pantry for the kids — perfect for grabbing mid-afternoon snacks and drinks," says Staver.

Avoiding the most common open plan layout mistake, Christie and Staver demonstrate their clear understanding of how to make an open concept feel cozy.

While keeping a sense of airy brightness was certainly a key component of this design, without any contrast or relief, this can quickly become sterile or uninviting, which is exactly why this moody den was created.

"In contrast to the openness of the main living areas, we wanted one space to feel cozy and intimate. The former family room became that retreat," says Staver.

Cloaked in a deep, forest green paint and decorated with heavy, plush furniture to match, this cozy living room provides a respite from the airy brightness of the rest of the home. The plush, low-slung living room furniture invites relaxation, and the whole room oozes comfort.

If you love the laid-back, inviting atmosphere of this home, there's a good chance you're going to be very into the California cool trend. But, if you'd like even more design inspo, why not sign up for our newsletter?