Winthrop Road
The owners of the Winthrop Road residence came to us with a clear directive: modernize the interior without changing the exterior. On a Spanish-style property in San Marino, that meant keeping the facade, architectural details, and streetscape character exactly as they were. Everything behind it was rebuilt to reflect how the owners live today.
San Marino’s residential streets maintain a strong sense of consistency that the community values. Any renovation that ignores that context starts on the wrong footing. This project was approached with that understanding from the beginning, treating preservation and modernization as equal priorities.
The original layout no longer fit the household, the systems were outdated, and the interiors required a complete redesign. The exterior needed to remain visually untouched.
Project Overview
- Project Type: Residential Renovation
- Location: San Marino, CA
- Completion: 2023
- Scope: Interior Modernization with Exterior Preservation
The Challenge
Older homes of this style tend to carry the same set of issues. The layout made sense for a different era of living. The mechanical and electrical systems were dated. The windows and entryways let in minimal light and didn't meet current performance standards. The greater challenge was not the renovation work itself, but maintaining the integrity of the Spanish-style exterior while construction progressed through the kitchen, windows, entryways, and interior finishes at the same time. Careful sequencing was required so that each phase stayed aligned without disrupting another.
Our Approach
The project was divided into two parallel tracks: exterior preservation and interior modernization.On the exterior, the focus remained on protecting the home’s original architectural identity. Where new work met existing structure, materials were carefully selected to maintain a seamless transition. From the street, the finished result needed to read as continuous and unchanged, with no visible signs of renovation.
On the interior, the scope included:- Custom kitchen build: A full kitchen construction to replace the original layout with a space suited to modern use and contemporary aesthetics
- Window replacement: New windows throughout, chosen to improve natural light and thermal performance without altering the exterior profile
- Entryway updates: Refreshed entry points that improved flow, light, and the transition from exterior to interior
- Interior finishes: Updated surfaces, materials, and details throughout to bring the interior into the present without overwriting the home's character
The Outcome
The finished home reads as two things at once: a well-preserved example of Spanish residential architecture and a completely livable modern home. The owners got the functionality they needed, while the neighborhood kept the streetscape it had always had. Projects like Winthrop Road are a good example of what residential renovation looks like when the brief goes beyond cosmetic updates. The constraints were apparent, the coordination was involved, and the outcome required getting both tracks right simultaneously.Thinking About a Similar Project?
We'd be glad to talk through what an approach like this might look like for your property if you own a home with architectural character worth keeping and interiors worth reconsidering. Call us at 310-849-7117 or send us a message via our contact form to get started.
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