A 1970’s addition on the rear of this house awkwardly consumed the entire backyard and reduced natural light to the interior, creating a dark kitchen and dining room. This project was a unique one in that we actually reduced the square footage. One of the advantages of living in California is that a backyard can easily serve as an extra room - with dining, entertainment, and lounge space usable for most of the year. In order to maximize natural daylight into the heart of the home, two large bi-folding patio doors were installed in the kitchen and dining room. This creates a strong connection to the backyard entertainment space, complete with an exterior kitchen and fire-pit seating area. The exterior of the house was redesigned to compliment a modern landscape project. A cedar rain screen leads guests to the front door - shifting the visual emphasis to the front door and reducing the prominence of the garage. The cedar gave the facade a modern, warm feel and differentiated the house from it’s neighbors