Tucked into a hillside in the Mt. Washington neighborhood of northeast Los Angeles, this 1964 home was a bit of a time capsule when designer Nathan Warkentin first encountered it. Blessed with abundant natural light and a strong sense of privacy, the homeowners were eager to update it and called on Nathan’s firm, Warkentin Associates, for the renovation.
“The clients are a couple who travel frequently and wanted the home to feel like a true place to land,” Nathan tells us. “Something warm, grounding, and easy to settle into. Entertaining was also an important piece for them, so the home needed to feel social and open without sacrificing privacy. They weren’t interested in anything over-styled or precious. The goal was to create something that felt calm and considered, but also very livable and practical.”
The scope of work for Nathan and his team was comprehensive, spanning everything from space planning to furnishing. “We designed a lot of custom millwork, lighting, and furniture pieces throughout,” he says. “We also made a few targeted architectural changes to better support how the clients live, including adding a bar and powder room and converting part of the lower level into a guest ADU.”
A top priority was preserving the home’s original character while reimagining it in a more contemporary way. “Instead of leaning into typical mid-century cliches, we looked to Japanese and broader East Asian design traditions… ideas around restraint, light, and space,” Nathan reflects. “The end result is something quiet and pared back, but still very much of today.”
Stepping inside, the entry features flagstone pavers from Eco Outdoors, which bring natural texture and transition into white oak flooring throughout the house. In the dining room, a solid walnut table by De La Espada is paired with vintage Rene Herbst cord chairs, creating a composition that feels both simple and balanced. A large Christopher Farr rug and a pine pendant by Vaarnii add to the room’s warm, enveloping feel.
At the heart of the home is the sunken living room—a timeless space that feels quintessentially Los Angeles. Plush wall-to-wall carpet, a sleek brick fireplace, and full-height drapery set a warm tone. Nathan added a custom mohair sectional, which anchors the room, and paired it with a vintage Gianfranco Frattini coffee table and a Soriana chair by Afra and Tobia Scarpa. A suspended Akari lamp adds a soft, sculptural glow, ideal for a nightcap from the adjacent bar. “The bar is a bit more moody,” Nathan says. “It’s a plum lacquer cabinet with a patinated brass top by De Winter Metalworks. It’s compact but adds a nice punch to the corner there.”
The primary bedroom takes a more restrained approach. “We designed a custom black walnut bed with integrated nightstands and bedside reading lights by Jacques Biny,” Nathan explains. “There’s also a private terrace, which brings in light and a sense of the landscape.”
Elsewhere, a study features a custom walnut desk paired with vintage Eames chairs and aluminum library shelving by Frama. The nearby powder room is wrapped in walnut slats, while a monolithic Brazilian granite vanity introduces natural variation and depth.
The project took longer than anticipated and, like any renovation, had its share of complications, but Nathan says that the slower pace ultimately benefited the project. “It gave us more time to let things evolve more naturally and make decisions with a bit more clarity,” he reflects. “I think you can feel this with the final result.”
