“Never judge a book by its cover.” That adage applies to homes as well. This 1938 Hollywood Heights bungalow at 6915 Santa Monica Drive is an excellent example of why that saying is true. Although the façade has been painted, it doesn’t give a hint about what lies beyond the front door. That’s one of the reasons this amazing home is included in the 2018 Hollywood Heights Home Tour, coming up April 20-22.
When it was listed in 2011, the bungalow had become a mere shadow of its 1930s glory days. Even in a conservation district, it was ripe for a wrecking ball, but the folks across the street had been keeping an eye on this little home for some time. That’s what you have to do in Hollywood Heights, because these homes go fast — especially the original bungalows and Tudors.
“I thought it was charming,” architect Eddie Maestri said. Maestri is the founder of Maestri Studio and one of the hottest young architects in Dallas. His client is a talented photography stylist. Their creative collaboration resulted in a makeover that will knock your socks off.
After getting rid of the overgrowth to reveal not only a window but a lovely arch and a porch swing, Maestri painted the brick. It was a point of contention with some of the neighbors. “We were not able to match existing brick, so there was no choice,” Maestri said. “But the front of the home is all original.”
“We wanted it to feel more intimate, quaint, and not out of scale,” Maestri said. “One of the things I think is overdone today is the open kitchen concept. I wanted a view through the kitchen with visibility to the rest of the house, but to also ensure you could not see any mess, and I wanted to pay a bit of homage to the original design.”
Maestri Studio worked with builder Herman Darden to turn this Hollywood Heights bungalow into a home that retains charm but offers more than a bit of wow factor.
The magnificent Art Deco fireplace was retained, and it looks as fresh today as it did in 1938. An addition to the back of the house includes a vaulted family room, screened porch, and master suite. “I tried to get the scale to compliment the space,” Maestri said. “We did not want to do anything that had been done before, and we wanted to blur the lines a bit between old and new. There is somewhat of a Scandinavian influence as the owner had a lot of nice midcentury, understated pieces. That definitely played into the vision. I love the way it turned out.”
It’s not often you land a completely remodeled home in Hollywood Heights, but Keitha and Keron Wright got lucky. They had been living in a smaller house on Valencia but were contemplating a move as their family grew. The moment David Bush Real Estate’s Joe Kacynski told them the Santa Monica bungalow was about to be listed, they raced over for a preview. As we’ve mentioned, having insider information in this neighborhood is crucial! They took one look and said to Joe “Let’s make it happen!”
They not only lucked out, so did we as they granted permission for their home to be on the 2018 Hollywood Heights Home Tour. We want you to make a beeline to this house and have a look, not only at that marvelous Art Deco fireplace and the vaulted family room addition but also at the master bathroom.
“Once in a while Keitha tries to get me to go to a hotel in town for a staycation, Keron said. “I ask her, what hotel bathroom is going to match this bathroom? My staycation is right here!”
The 2018 Hollywood Heights Home Tour takes place April 20-22. Tickets are available online until Thursday April 19. During the tour weekend, tickets can be purchased at the door of each tour home or at Curiosities in Lakewood shopping center.
Better yet win a pair of tickets from Daltxrealestate.com! Stay tuned for your chance!
Karen Eubank is the owner of Eubank Staging and Design. She has been an award-winning professional home stager for more than 25 years and a professional writer for 20 years. Karen is the mother of a son who’s studying music at The University of Miami. An ardent animal lover, she doesn’t mind one bit if your fur baby jumps right into her lap. Find Karen at www.eubankstaging.com
