How to Choose the Right Dining Table

When Pritzkat & Johnson Architects was updating a 1950s ranch house on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles, they naturally looked to outdoor spaces — the neighborhood enjoys sunshine for three-quarters of the year. They refinished the existing patio, added a deck off the master bedroom and built a shaded outdoor sitting area, giving their clients plenty of opportunities for al fresco life.

Keith Johnson, the home’s architect, came up with the plan by considering the weather, but he also saw it as the best way to tackle the home’s main dilemma. The problem, Johnson says, was that “there was no real connection from inside the house to the outside.” So he focused on ways to connect the two, letting the inside spaces blend easily with the outside.

Houzz at a Glance
Location: Palos Verdes area of Los Angeles
Size: 2,800 square feet (260 square meters); 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms
Year built: 1953; renovation completed in 2012

The deck and covered seating area added 180 square feet of functional and cozy living space. The louvered shutters open for access to the crawl space under the house, while the poured concrete benches offer outdoor seating. Recessed lights illuminate the space at night.

The original back of the home extended past the kitchen, then receded at the master bedroom (at left in this photo). Johnson redesigned this feature and closed off a separate entrance to the right of the foliage. To replace that entrance, he added an interior staircase that unites the home from inside.

AFTER: Johnson added a main deck off the master bedroom and a sweeping staircase to connect the space with the new outdoor nook underneath. The smooth stucco exterior creates a single surface to unify the old structure and the additions.

See more of this Houzz Tour: Pursuing the Good Outdoor Life in Palos Verdes

Houzz Tour: Pursuing the Good Outdoor Life in Palos Verdes