Renovated 1926 home in Carthay Circle shows its past yet feels modern

Liz Dennery Sanders and husband Peter Sanders had been looking for a corner-lot house in Carthay Circle for more than a year when they saw a For Sale sign go up on their street.

"The day I saw that sign I thought 'This is meant to be,'" said Dennery Sanders, who owns a brand consulting firm. "We knew we were adopting our son, Jack, in May."

Like many Los Angeles real estate scenarios, this one had the couple in a bidding war with a developer, but they ultimately won the house after writing a note to the family who had lived there for 50 years.

In a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone filled with Spanish Colonial Revival homes, the corner lots stand out for their commanding placement in the Mid-City L.A. neighborhood.

"Being on the corner makes you feel like you have more space," said Sanders, public information director for the Los Angeles Fire Department. "But I wouldn't call the house grand."

Indeed, the 1926 Spanish house had not been touched in years and was in desperate need of an update. With the arrival of their son imminent, the couple moved half a block down the street and proceeded to renovate the five-bedroom, four-bath 3,500-square-foot home over the next six months.

Although they took 60% of the house down to the studs, for them the remodel was about staying true to the home's roots both architecturally and historically while bringing it into the 21st century.

"We wanted to preserve the architecture and spirit of the house," said Dennery Sanders.

From the street, the house looks much as it would have in 1926 (a turret, which is now a second-floor office and guest room, was added in the 1960s). But once inside, the updated interiors feel contemporary and stylish while retaining the original home's warmth and family-friendly feel.

Collaborating with interior designer Seyie Putsure of Seyie Design, Dennery Sanders furnished the home in earth tones and added whimsical details such as animal prints and dramatic wallcoverings for personality. The look is elegant but the mood is casual as Sunbrella-covered furniture mixes with fun leopard prints and glamorous wall coverings by Christian Lacroix and Donghia.

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Renovated 1926 home in Carthay Circle shows its past yet feels modern