Home tour | A calming mid-century bungalow in California

Today we’re travelling to sunny California for a look around a 1960s ranch-style bungalow that’s been transformed into a calming, contemporary haven.

Located in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles, the house is now owned by Carlos Naude and Whitney Brown of multidisciplinary creative studio Working Holiday. They purchased the property in 2020 to act as a home for their young family as well as a showroom for a curated selection of design bands, and soon realised it was in need of a full overhaul. So, they set about renovating it inside and out, changing everything from the plumbing to the layout and managing much of the project themselves to save money.

The result of their efforts is a functional, versatile and serene space that draws on Scandinavian minimalism, Carlos’ Mexican heritage and the couple’s frequent travels to Japan. There are also references to the house’s mid-century roots, with Carlos and Whitney keen to preserve its character while updating it to suit modern life.

On the exterior, the old render has been replaced with smart black cladding inspired by shou sugi ban – a Japanese method of charring wood to preserve it against the elements. It contrasts beautifully with the gravel pathways, while clumps of textured grass soften the overall appearance.

Inside, the ground floor has been opened up to create a large living space, with new roof windows that bring in plenty of natural light. The kitchen units are from Danish company Reform’s ‘BASIS’ collection, which Carlos and Whitney chose because of its simplicity, its adaptability (the fronts fit onto standard IKEA ‘METOD’ carcasses) and its subtle 1960s influences. They’re finished in matt black, which pairs well with the Dacor appliances, and topped by quartz worktops that resemble polished concrete but are a lot more practical.

The dining area beyond is furnished with a black marble table and chairs from Mexican brand Casa Quieta, which stand out beautifully against a soft green feature wall. A simple yet striking ‘Mori’ pendant light from Brooklyn-based RBW dangles overhead, creating an inviting pool of light for laid-back meals. Glass doors lead from here to a shaded terrace, with a large outdoor sofa that’s ideal for alfresco California living.

The monochrome scheme of the kitchen-diner gives way to warmer, earthier hues in the living room, which is partially separated from the rest of the space by vertical wooden slats. Here, a rust-coloured velvet sofa from Normann Copenhagen sits alongside a Nordic Knots rug, a sculptural Hedgehouse coffee table, and a wooden Ethnicraft TV unit whose textured teak doors mirror the painted brick of the fireplace. A statement accent chair by Noom and a sleek Kuzco lamp make the perfect finishing touches.

The bedrooms are decorated in landscape-inspired tones such as olive green and stone grey, and designed very much with rest and relaxation in mind. Furniture and accessories are kept to a minimum, but natural textures like linen and rattan ensure they’re still cosy. There are also stunning wall hangings from Mexican artisan textile workshop Caralarga, creating focal points in place of headboards.

Like the kitchen, the bathrooms feature units from Reform – this time its ‘FRAME’ collection, created by Stockholm-based Note Design Studio. The mounted triangular edges give the fronts a grid-like appearance and echo elements of traditional Scandinavian and Japanese cabinetry, enhancing the home’s calm ambiance. In one bathroom Carlos and Whitney have chosen warm oak offset by beige terrazzo counters and sage-green walls; in the other, pale grey with dark grey terrazzo and mid-grey walls. There’s also a tub and shower clad in gorgeous green mosaic tiles, with a roof light above to give the impression of bathing in the open air.

All in all, the bungalow is a beautiful example of sensitive renovation, and proof that various design influences can be combined in the same space to wonderful effect. Definitely a home to be inspired by!

All photography by Carlos Naude, courtesy of Reform