Nwankpa Design — Los Angeles, CA, 2020

The Curson Residence by Nwankpa Design reinterprets a 1920s Storybook-style house in Los Angeles, updating its arrangement while retaining its original sense of play. A remodel expanded the home by 400 square feet, transforming what was a collection of compact rooms behind a steep-pitched roof and a prominent chimney into an open-plan axis that connects living, dining, kitchen, and family spaces. Accordion doors at both ends allow the interior to open onto the front and rear yards, providing flexibility for daylight and connection to the landscape while screening views from the street and neighbors. The roof was largely preserved but modified, with the chimney shifted to balance the volume and new clerestories bringing light into the heart of the plan. Vertical windows and a varied ceiling height delineate spaces without partitions. The material selection emphasizes tactile and visual subtlety: oak, honed quartz soapstone, and Italian ceramic tile are paired with bright white walls. Custom millwork and wood ceilings tie together each zone, delivering continuity amid the differentiated spaces and harnessing the daylight throughout the sequence of rooms.
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