She may live in Pacific Palisades, but for this homeowner, the siren song of Europe is never silent. So much that, when she dived into the gut remodel of her 1950s-built Mediterranean-style residence overlooking Potrero Canyon Park—intended as a home base with her spouse and college-age children—pulling ideas from European architecture, history and hotels came as second nature. “She’d return from a trip and say, ‘Oh, I was just in France, and look at this beautiful closet,’ ” recalls interior designer Lisa Price-Canale. “Thanks to the incredible inspiration we got from her travels, we turned what was a classic Mediterranean home into a jewel box.”
But to get there, Price-Canale, in tandem with frequent collaborators architect Philip Vertoch and general contractor Isaac Waxtein, first put together a plan to tamp down traces of the original Tuscan-style structure in favor of a more timeless build. Anchored by a central courtyard, the new design showcases a limestone exterior, steel-framed windows, intricate ceiling moldings, reclaimed-wood beams and stone fireplaces. Direct architectural and interior design references are deliberately blurred. “There’s nods to Italian design, a bit of Moroccan influence and a lot of French references; it draws from all the first-class properties we’ve stayed in over the years,” explains the homeowner. The design team concurs, with Vertoch describing its architectural evolution as leaning Italianate transitional and Waxtein noting the French Moroccan vibe of the courtyard.
Vertoch was able to drastically reimagine the home while staying within its existing footprint. Working with project manager Daniel Shurinov, the architect came up with a clever plan to meet area guidelines by reducing the first floor’s square footage (allowing for an additional garden entertaining area), then used the “extra” space to expand the tiny 400-square-foot second floor. The owner’s bedroom suite and office were added to the upper level, making the most of the sight lines out to the canyon and ocean.
Back on the ground floor, many of the original elements, including the entry tower and the front wall, were utilized rather than razed. The privacy of retaining the front wall allowed for the home’s other game-changing revamp: removing many of the first floor’s interior walls. This decision created a generous open-plan entertaining space, though it took some effort to achieve a result that would be both structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing. “The engineering complexity that went into opening up that room was one of the most difficult and challenging projects we’ve had,” shares Waxtein. The airy result celebrates an indoor-outdoor feeling integral to a Southern California lifestyle. “The house feels so light and open now, and you can look from the front door across the courtyard and all the way through to the beautiful canyon surroundings,” notes Vertoch. “It’s got such a warm feel that just pulls you in; you want to experience this place—and that’s what a home is all about.”
Landscape designer Scott Shrader proved pivotal to creating that initial come-hither experience too, adding old-growth olive trees, curved antique columns and custom lighting to the front courtyard, and refining the garden’s basic form (which was first sketched out by Andrea Scharff Landscape Design). Shrader also specified a sculptural white outdoor fireplace as a focal point which “gives the sense of a classic Mediterranean home, while the curved arches with hanging lights nod to old European houses with beautiful, groin-vaulted hallways,” he explains.
As many of the rooms look out to either the courtyard or the canyon, Price-Canale opted for neutral hues and clean-lined furniture. “The tones of the wood and the materials mimic what’s going on outside,” the designer explains. “The greenery through the windows often becomes the color in the room.” Modern finishes, furniture and lighting fixtures also offset the exterior’s more aged aesthetic. “I didn’t want to go too traditional,” notes Price-Canale, pointing out that even the main living space’s coffered ceiling, with its clean lines, sharp edges and shadow detailing, was designed to read more modern. “We aimed for a warm contemporary take on Mediterranean.” And of course, she and the owner took pleasure in peppering in treasures: See the entryway’s jewel-like, hand-blown glass-heart pendant, the exterior door’s antique hardware, and artwork reminiscent of Picasso. Luxurious, tactile fabrics including leather, bouclé and mohair underline the home’s comfortable intimacy.
Walking through the property now feels like its own journey, says the owner with satisfaction. “You forget that you’re in Los Angeles,” she shares. “It feels like you’ve been transported to Europe.” With no passport required.
