A 1930s California Home Gets A Bit Of New England Prep

I wanted it to be brave and fun but also warm and inviting,” homeowner Dana Guild says of her 1930s Beverly Hills residence that she and her husband, Adam, and their three children share. An effervescent space filled with bold patterns and lively colors, the house maintains its original charm even as a renovation updated it for the present-day lives of a family of five. As architect Scott Alan Joyce, whom the Guilds turned to for an interior remodel and addition, puts it, “It’s a classic Paul Williams-esque house with a lot of interior glamour. They wanted it to be a family home but it was very much about creating elegance.”

The Colonial’s well-constructed shell and center-hall plan proved inspiring. “It’s a lath-and-plaster house with great moldings and proportions in the public rooms,” notes Joyce, who worked on the structure with senior associate Kyoko Hibino. “We took the grandness of the public spaces and added it to the rest of the house.” To create more square footage, an L-shaped addition at the back of the house was designed, which now contains the master suite, and both floors were reconfigured. “We did this by moving the existing garage and building a new one off the alley,” says the architect.

This change allowed him to move the house another 10 feet. Joyce also ensured that all three boys had their own bedrooms and bathrooms by cutting the existing master bathroom in half, dividing it into two separate baths and using the master closet to create the third. Closets, hallways and one large bathroom were then reconfigured into the children’s bedrooms, while the rest of the original master suite was converted into a guest room.

With such significant changes, Joyce was determined to create a smooth transition. “We didn’t want to see where the old house ended and the new house began,” he says. “So, we duplicated a lot of details in the existing structure.” For example, moldings and window sizes were replicated to maintain historical authenticity and flow. That seamlessness required “a lot of research about the time period and finding people who could recreate those details,” says general contractor Justin Krzyston. “We took time to honor the home’s integrity.” Creeping fig running up the addition outside further ties old and new together.

With experience in design and as a transplant from Greenwich, Connecticut, Dana had a specific vision for the interiors. “I love color, so I have an obsession with Sister Parish,” she says. “I like a preppy, laid-back and whimsical aesthetic.” In the early stages, Dana worked with her friend, designer and television host Lara Spencer on the interiors, before bringing on designer Adam Wardell. “I wanted to bring my East Coast history here to feel more at home,” Dana says. Adds Wardell: “The idea was to take the house in a youthful, light and fresh direction but bring in West Coast sensibilities in a more traditional framework.”

The palette, which features a bold mix of patterns, playful touches and linear silhouettes, adds up to one cohesive look. “Nothing is too over-the-top,” Wardell says. “It all blends well together.” In the dining room, for instance, blues and greens offer punches of color. However, Wardell and Dana lacquered the ceiling and table white. “The space is a little darker and lacquering those elements brightened it,” Wardell says. The master bedroom continues that blue and green vibe, as does the breakfast room. The adjacent kitchen sports a softer palette and custom cabinetry. “There’s a balance in the house that works well,” Wardell notes. “The kitchen is very bright and white, but the breakfast room brings in tons of aqua and green. It’s a very successful mix.”

Outside, landscape designer Andrea Scharff created an environment simpatico with the home’s architecture. “I wanted to make the space feel like Dana but also wanted it to be true to the house itself,” Scharff says. To give the couple privacy, the landscape designer planted a visual buffer of Ficus nitida in columns in the front garden. And the existing bougainvillea now pairs with vibrant roses and a flowering pear tree. “We wanted it to be simple, welcoming and very much Dana, which is a woman from Greenwich, who lives in L.A.,” Scharff says. “It’s the best of Greenwich meeting L.A. in a cool way.” The result is a home that perfectly embodies its owners. “The house makes me happy, and I like that it’s a little surprising,” Dana says. Adds Joyce: “It’s a dramatic and glamorous house that’s very personal.”