Filed under: Design, etc, House Tours, Architecture, Cool Homes
A look at one of the home's on the Dwell on Design's house tour. Photo: Space International, Inc.
Dwell on Design is one of the largest design events on the West Coast, courtesy of Dwell magazine. It facilitates discussions on sustainability, architecture and the role of design in better living, and is a stage for new modern products and building materials for consumers, designers and architects alike. (This year, the event is being held again in Los Angeles from June 25-27, 2010.)
But one of the best parts of the conference? Some of the most beautiful homes in Los Angeles open their doors for tours.
This year, Dwell on Design home tours are split into two groups: East side and West side, totaling 12 homes. If you're not headed to L.A. for this conference, you can still check out some of these amazing homes here on ShelterPop -- we've got a sneak peek inside a few just for you!
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
Believe it or not, this house used to be a 5-unit apartment building. Minarc architects repurposed it and converted it into a single-family residence, and they did it by only remodeling 50% of the structure. Also impressive is that they didn't use any paint, tile, carpet or forced air (AC/HV) and even bought 90% of the furniture on Craigslist!
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
The architects made great use of the natural light, creating an expanse of glass right off of the kitchen. The open stairwell and reflecting pool make the space feel even more open. I love the clever kitchen chairs that "disappear" into the island to maximize the space.
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
This home on Deronda Drive is located near the apex of Beachwood Canyon and has an amazing backyard view of Los Angeles. Both the front and back of the house feature a mix of glass and concrete, complemented by stone and water. Even the plantings have an edgy and fresh look...
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
My favorite element in the home is the custom space divider between the living area and the dining room. It's a sturdy wall and a definitive separator, but it doesn't feel heavy like a real wall or flimsy like a store-bought bookshelf.
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
This house is modern, but it's more charming than slick. No surprise since the owners are pretty cute themselves. He's a contractor and she's an architect and together they gave life to an aging 500-square-foot cottage. Today, it's a modern 1,150-square-foot, 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom home.
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
The house has a balance of soft and hard materials and features a green roof and a rainwater collection system.
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
Forget brick townhouses. Auburn 7 is taking the townhouse concept to a much cooler level. Designed by MASS Architecture and Design, this is a multi-family community of seven 3-bedroom houses designed in the community of Silver Lake. Each home is built on individually-owned land and features a mix of horizontal and vertical windows. Cool!
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
Inside and out, the architects used sustainable materials and added eco-friendly touches, such as solar panel roofs, radiant concrete floors and a garden consisting of native and edible plants.
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
This West side residence by Techentin Buckingham Architecture is located in Los Feliz and you can tell from the outside that something fun is going on inside. The home's exterior is wrapped in a black-painted, redwood "rain-screen" placed over Hypalon rubber siding to shade the walls.
House Tour: Best of Modern L.A.
Inside, the window moldings are painted green, one of the primary color accents of the interior. We love the mismatched but coordinating dining chairs and the fun photographic pendant lampshade.