Today we toured the This Old House Los Angeles House Project — the first This Old House home renovation in Los Angeles. It’s surprising this is their LA debut after more than 30 years of projects, including two homes along the Pacific Coast Highway near Santa Barbara.
The house is a 1930s Spanish Colonial Revival located a stone’s throw from the Silver Lake Reservoir. The renovation team includes the This Old House experts along with Angel Leon and his firm, Home Front. Their plan expands the original 1,500 square-foot layout by extending the rear of the house, opening up the kitchen, and adding a partial second story that contains two bedrooms above the back portion of the home. The rear addition also creates three separate outdoor deck areas oriented toward Silver Lake. When finished, the home will measure roughly 2,400 square feet — a measured increase that respects the property’s scale.
By limiting the new second-floor massing to the back of the house, the design preserves neighborhood sightlines. From the street the home still reads as a single-story structure, with just a modest second-floor presence peeking over the rear roofline.
The homeowners emphasized reuse and careful restoration. Wherever possible, original materials are being retained or repurposed, and original design details are being recreated throughout the house. That attention to authenticity shows up in the repeated use of arched openings — carried into shower and bath niches — and in custom kitchen supports that echo the home’s exterior corbels. Angel Leon’s team has also preserved original lighting fixtures, door trim, canvas-covered walls, and ceiling medallions, blending restored elements with new construction to maintain the home’s historic character.
They are approximately three to four weeks from completion. Fans who have been watching the This Old House webcams have been able to follow the project’s progress online. The new Los Angeles season of This Old House premieres on public television starting Thursday, Jan 27th; check local listings for broadcast times in your area.
Enjoy the photos below documenting the renovation.
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