{"id":375507,"date":"2026-06-26T06:19:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T06:19:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/375507\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T06:19:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T06:19:19","slug":"this-midcentury-california-home-suits-its-mountain-setting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/375507\/","title":{"rendered":"This midcentury California home suits its mountain setting"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the latest instalment of The Inside Story<\/a>, Wallpaper\u2019s series spotlighting intriguing, innovative and industry-leading interior design.<\/p>\n

Nestled at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains in Sierra Madre, a 1947 adobe home \u2013 a traditional building method using sun-dried bricks of organic materials \u2013 has been reimagined. Removed from the noise and polish of Los Angeles<\/a>, this neighbourhood is shaded by California<\/a> oaks, eucalyptus and pine, and shares its hillside with bears. It’s an unusual setting for a design story.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

The home\u2019s transformation began with a fire that destroyed much of the structure, leaving only the original adobe brick wall standing. Rather than rebuild from scratch, designer Kirsten Blazek of A1000XBetter<\/a> chose to work with what remained.<\/p>\n

\u2018The overall vision was to maintain as much of the original character and style of the home as possible, while making it more functional for modern living,\u2019 she explains. New rooms were added \u2013 a kitchen, a primary suite, a family room \u2013 though the expansion was restrained. \u2018We worked mainly within the original footprint,\u2019 the designer notes, \u2018only adding a small amount of square footage for the primary closet.\u2019<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

On the original adobe side, the layout was left untouched. The hallway windows, original to the 1947 build and \u2018one of [Blazek\u2019s] favourite features\u2019, were preserved. \u2018I wanted the house to feel like a modern California hacienda,\u2019 she says of her guiding aesthetic, \u2018and embraced that through every colour choice and finish.’<\/p>\n

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That palette draws directly from the landscape. Dunn-Edwards paints in warm, grounded tones \u2013 including an exterior shade named \u2018Wild Horses\u2019 \u2013 echo the surrounding terrain and scrubland. \u2018I very much gravitate to an earth-based palette,\u2019 says Blazek, \u2018and the location at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains made that feel completely natural.\u2019<\/p>\n

Recreate the mood<\/p>\n

The interiors, meanwhile, speak to a lifelong passion. \u2018I have a deep connection with the American Southwest and have long collected Native American and western-influenced art and objects,\u2019 she says. Yet the rooms never tip into pastiche. Midcentury furniture \u2013 sourced from MidcenturyLA, Amsterdam<\/a> Modern and Lawson-Fenning \u2013 grounds the collected pieces with clean, modern lines. Rugs from Pampa and Salam Hello add warmth underfoot; drapery by Zak and Fox frames the windows. \u2018I never want my work to feel too referential,\u2019 Blazek reflects. \u2018I love midcentury lines, so there’s a pleasing blend of both genres throughout.\u2019<\/p>\n

Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

Among her favourite moments is the dining room fireplace \u2013 original to the house, but updated with dimensional tile from Lofa Tile. Nearby, a framed print by artist Mark Maggiori anchors the wall. \u2018It’s one of my favourite pieces,\u2019 she says. \u2018I was grateful to finally find the perfect place for it.\u2019<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

Between the ancient craft of adobe and the clean geometry of midcentury design, this renovation represents both preservation and reinvention \u2013 a modern hacienda rooted in its land, its past and the strength of Blazek\u2019s vision.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Michael P.H. Clifford)<\/p>\n

TOPICS<\/p>\n


\nMidcentury modern
\n<\/a>
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\nCalifornia
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