A 1959 home in Long Beach, California, gets a new look, and with it, bold curb appeal.
When Amber Sokolowski of Soko Design first saw her future home, she told her husband, “The all-white house is going to become the all-black house.” While it sounded amusing, she wasn’t joking. The silhouette of the home and its location in the Rossmore neighborhood of Long Beach, California, called for something dramatic, and black was just the answer. But this renovation and bold curb appeal was more than just a fresh coat of paint.
Originally designed by famed architect Ross Cortese Rossmore in 1959, the home has since taken on new life with Amber at the helm. “We renovated the house from top to bottom, including a 215-square-foot addition to the front of the house,” Amber explains. The driveway has also been reshaped and concrete pads interspersed with gravel leading to the front door were added. “The front landscaping was completely redone to a more water-saving design and there is a recirculating bubbling rock fountain near the front door that is instantly relaxing,” she says. Amber also reworked the exterior color palette with accents like a natural wood door and brass lighting. “The natural greens and browns in the landscaping are a nice contrast to the stark black paint,” she points out.
In the backyard, Amber removed an enclosed patio/sunroom. “Since, in these houses, there is so much land in the front versus the back, we wanted to use the coveted backyard space as a place for our two young children to play,” she says.
Love MCM curb appeal? Us, too! Check out more homes with jaw-dropping MCM curb appeal by reading on here: Natural Curb Appeal, Pro Tips for MCM Curb Appeal, MCM Exterior Paint Colors.
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