Giving a classic home a modern extension is a trend that is catching on across the globe and with contemporary makeovers the attempt is to always preserve the old and enhance it while adding modern ergonomics. The Los Altos Pool House takes a similar approach but with far more rigid constraints as the homeowners wanted to leave the ranch style structure of the original residence built in 1966 completely untouched. Enter Framestudio, who turned to a smart rear addition to get the job done. The new pool house with a lovely pool and gym area feels completely different in its ambiance from the original residence.
Yet, the cedar exterior of the pool house links it ever so slightly with the original residence and its neutral hue. The weathered cedar layer on the outside gives the polished pool house a warmer, more inviting look. Skylights and large, floor-to-ceiling glass walls and doors usher in ample natural light even as cedar rainscreens protect the pool area from harsh sunlight in summer months. Exquisite and borrowing extensively from hotel-inspired aesthetics, this pool house in California is an absolute showstopper! [Photography: David Wakely]
The operable skylights and exterior pocket doors allow the space to be ventilated naturally on warm days. The exterior lap siding of the home was preserved inside the new space, and paired with new marine-grade plywood cladding, adding a rich textural visual experience. Linear LED lighting was recessed along the perimeter to wash the walls with illumination and highlight the plywood grain.
