This is the current setup. It's ideal for an individual or couple without small children.

The owner(s) can live in the back and use the front building for guests, an office, or as rental.

Or it could be the other way around for people who want to live in the front and use the back space as a studio, small business, or ______.

This is a house and property designed for maximum flexibility.

These renderings illustrate an example of extending the loft shelf to a full second floor, modernizing the entire space, and repurposing a small portion of the existing footprint to accommodate additional bathroom amenities. The first variation creates a 4‑bedroom, 5‑bathroom house while the second creates what technically could be considered to be a 5‑bedroom, 5‑bathroom house by turning the downstairs entry into a convertible guest space.

Culver City determines final zoning, lot coverage, FAR, setback, and other standards on a site-specific basis. In the meantime, the upcoming potential design is based on the following calculations and assumptions, all of which should be confirmed with Culver City's Planning Department.

Item	Square Footage Calculations
Front Building Garage	Not included due to 25' separation from back building.
Front Building Upstairs	Not included if converted into an ADU.
Floor Area Ratio (FAR)	5600 ft² lot x 45% = 2520 ft²
Back Building with Two Full Floors	- 30' x 37' x 2 floors = 2220 ft²
Unused FAR	= 300 ft²
Back Build Bathroom Extension 1	60 ft² downstairs
Back Build Bathroom Extension 2	+   40 ft² upstairs
Total Bathroom Extensions	= 100 ft²
Allowable Square Footage	2520 ft²
Square Footage Used	- 2320 ft²
Remaining	= ~200 ft²  (depending on interior and exterior wall thicknesses)

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FIRST FLOOR

• 4' x 4' floor square floor tiles used to provide a better sense of the space's size.
• Rectangular light fixtures added so that the rendering engine would properly illuminate the space.
   
• Downstairs Bathroom — (170 ft²) includes...
  • Powder Room — (5½' x 7½' x 12' ceiling) with sink and toilet
  • Laundry Room — (8' x ' x 12' ceiling) with washer/dryer hookups, utility sink, and storage
  • Bathtub/Jacuzzi Room — (6½' x 9' x 12') with storage and view of fountain area
• Kitchen — (23' x 12' to 15½' x 12' ceiling) with 15' of combined counter space plus additional counter space provided by a 9' x 5½' peninsula
• Open Space — (15' x 37' x 12' ceiling) for entry, dining room, sitting, entertainment

 

 

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ALTERNATE FIRST FLOOR

In this variation, large vertical columns and headers are used to form arches for the following benefits:

• Adds more elegance.
• Facilitates extending the front entry and allows it to be optionally used as a short-term guest space (with the protruding "artwork" wall pulled down to reveal a murphy bed).
• Potentially, the guest space could be classified as an additional bedroom, technically creating a 5‑bedroom, 5‑bathroom house.
• Although the entry/guest space is 15' wide and approximately 8' to 12' deep (depending on the depth of the arch and position of the door), it does not change the overall FAR calculation because it's utilizing existing square footage. That said, there's a possibility the building could be extended into the middle section in order to increase the size of the room.
• The back building was originally engineered to support extending the loft into a full second floor. However, if the latest Culver City building codes require larger footings, a structural skeleton could be considered as an alternative. Specifically, sections of the floor would be opened to pour new piers, attach vertical beams, and join them with horizontal cross beams (with the aesthetic arches used to elegantly conceal the new framework).
• The described approach substantially lessens the risk of undermining the current structure while also reducing the complexity, labor, cost, and time of the effort.

 

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SECOND FLOOR

• Jack & Jill Bathroom
  • 10½' x 6' x 12' ceiling
  • Private entry from each of the rooms on the right
  • 6' wide counter with two sinks, 6' mirrored above counter storage, 6' below counter storage
  • 40" x 40" shower
  • Single toilet
• Bedroom
  • 14' x 13' x 12' ceiling open space plus a 3½' x 6½' x 12' ceiling enclosed hallway
  • Built-in closet, drawers, counter, and desk
  • 8' wide x 7' tall sliding window elevated 3' off the floor looking toward avocado tree
  • Emergency access to a 30' x 5' fire balcony
  • A private 5' elevated alcove 4' x 5' with ladder and window
  • A sliding bookcase concealing access to the bathroom
• Bedroom/Office
  • 14' x 12' x 12' ceiling open space plus a 3½' x 6½' x 12' ceiling enclosed hallway
  • Built-in closet, drawers, counter, and desk
  • 10' wide x 7' tall sliding window elevated 3' off the floor looking toward avocado tree
  • Emergency access to a 30' x 5' fire balcony
  • A pocket door to the bathroom in its interior hallway
• Master Bedroom
  • 22' x 13' x ~11' ceiling open space
  • 14' x 5' x 12' ceiling closet with storage and clothing rods
  • 13' wardrobe with storage and clothing rods
  • Small sink, refrigerator, and additional storage
  • 14' wide x 7' tall sliding window elevated 3' off the floor facing south
  • 12' wide x 10' tall sliding glass door facing fountain area
  • 14' x 4' outdoor patio
• Master Bathroom
  • Approximately 12' x 16' x ~11' ceiling totaling about 160 ft²
  • 9' counter, 9' mirrored upper storage, 7' lower storage with single sink
  • Smaller counter with its own sink plus upper and lower storage on opposing wall
  • Dual shower 5½' x 7½' x ~11' ceiling
  • Steam room 4' x 5½' x ~12' ceiling
  • Primary toilet room 4' x 5' x ~12' ceiling with operable window
  • Secondary toilet room 4' x 3½' x ~12' ceiling with operable window
  • Storage 4' x 3'

These renderings illustrate a very different approach for buyers who want a more unconventional home. Instead of extending the loft shelf to a full second floor, an independent "cabin" has been added. Since the design maintains the combination entry/guest space concept, as shown in the "Full Second Floor" version, the property can still be considered to be a 4‑bedroom, 5‑bathroom house. Some specifics...

• The house maintains its wow factor of stacked sliding glass doors and 28' ceilings. To enhance the sense of openness and volume, the outer walls of the cabin are mirrored to reflect the interior and exterior views of the primary space.
• The cabin includes its own ¾‑bathroom and preserves the privacy of its occupants (and those in the main house) by utilizing private stairs outside of the building. Optionally, if used as an office, the west-to-east horizontal support beam could be widened to accommodate a bridge connecting the master bedroom balcony to the cabin.
• The upstairs master bedroom and bathroom, that occupy the existing loft, are updated but absent some of the fancier features and bathroom extensions shown in the "Full Second Floor" version. Those features are not mutually exclusive and could be added. Similarly, the kitchen is upgraded without being as fancy as the "Full Second Floor" version (which is not to say that isn't an option).
• The master bedroom balcony has been extended to accommodate 26' feet of storage (with drawers and 48" tall closets — made taller if desired) plus operable windows extending to the ceiling. The increased size causes the downstairs entry/convertible guest space to grow to 15' x 15'.
• Last but not least, this design results in a much simpler construction effort than is needed for the "Full Second Floor" version. As a result, it doesn't trigger nearly the same number of Title 24 interventions unless the buyer wants to add more features (e.g., aspects of the "Full Second Floor" version including drywall, insulation, etc.).

Thank you for your time.
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