Located in Pasadena, California, it is hard to believe that this stunning 1959 custom-built home was once a daunting fixer-upper. Thanks to Annette Vartanian’s eye for interior design and her husband Alan’s architectural background, their Midcentury Modern dream was soon realized.
“The place was a hoarder’s paradise,” says Annette. Through all the clutter they saw the home’s amazing architecture—boasting an inviting and open floor plan, large windows and a wide outdoor deck—and fell in love. “No one else saw the potential, but we did,” Annette reminisces. With a can-do attitude, the couple bought their dream home and began the process of renovations and touch-ups.
“Ultimately what we wanted to do with our Midcentury Modern look was to maintain the integrity of the house but update it to our modern lifestyle,” Annette says.
Renovating for Form + Function
With this in mind, they began to renovate the home, starting with the kitchen. Annette describes the original as, “dark, dingy and frankly, really gross.” In order to pay homage to the dark wood cabinetry from the original kitchen while adding some much needed brightness, the couple opted for Ikea cabinets with walnut-finish fronts from Semihandmade. The dark toned cabinets are paired with white counters and a white backsplash.
The floorplan was kept much the same. The refrigerator was the only appliance moved—swapping walls for easier accessibility. Annette, as well as the previous owner, loves to entertain. To suit their lifestyle and give a nod to the last owner, the couple decided to open up part of the wall that previously separated the kitchen from the dining room. The change better connects the space to the dining room and increases the available natural light. “Now we can continue that tradition of hosting parties,” says Annette.
While Terrazzo was their ideal flooring choice, at a hundred dollars per square foot, it wasn’t plausible. Instead, Annette chose a similar material with the same period-appropriate charm—white quartz stone tile flecked with silver and grey, which was only four dollars per square foot. The flooring stretches from the entry through the kitchen, but transitions to hardwood in the dining area. The original flooring was a worn laminate, so Annette and Alan traded it out for chestnut-stained wood.
Custom Kitchen
With the help of Semihandmade, Annette was able to create the custom midcentury kitchen she’s always wanted for a fourth of the price.
When Annette first began to tackle the kitchen, she met with a carpenter to discuss a custom space. Discouraged by the price, she researched other options and discovered Semihandmade. “It was the obvious choice,” she says.
Founded in 2011 by John McDonald, Semihandmade specializes in creating custom doors, shelves and other accessories to fit Ikea cabinets. Their process allows for a custom space at a fraction of the cost. “With Semihandmade we could get a Midcentury Modern feel but in a fully modern kitchen that’s functional for our family,” Annette says.
For John and Semihandmade it’s been a wild ride. The company has landed on Inc. Magazine’s list of 1,000 fastest-growing private U.S. companies every year since 2015. Semihandmade has spread through word-of-mouth and its strong social media presence and continues to grow. “It’s been a blast,” John says.
To see even more of Annette and Alan’s home (including their pink bath) don’t miss our latest issue!
