Linda Hunt's Hollywood bungalow a welcoming blend of whimsy, elegance

In a historic Hollywood neighborhood filled with modest side-by-side period revival homes, the 1919 bungalow of Linda Hunt and Karen Klein stands out for its refreshing mix of old and new.

From the street, the one-story home looks like a traditional Craftsman, but step inside and colorful interiors offer a profoundly modern greeting. It is a jewel-box home filled with carefully considered details and custom finishes ranging from antique door pulls to lavender-colored walls and graphic wallcoverings in surprising hues of purple and green.

"This house has whimsy and a special kind of elegance," said Hunt, an Oscar-winning actress. "It's welcoming."

The couple appreciates the home's bright and sun-filled interiors, which set it apart from other Craftsman homes in the neighborhood.

"We lasted six months in a dark Craftsman down the street," Klein, a retired therapist, said with a laugh.

They bought their current two-bedroom home with a plan to make better use of the cramped floor plan. They wanted a home that made sense, with free-flowing movement from room to room that would be suitable for them, their houseguests and dogs.

"We wanted to make better use of the space," Hunt said. "We wanted to use the house in a different way."

After touring a Hancock Park kitchen and den designed by Linda Brettler, the couple turned to the architect to help them rethink the living spaces.

Brettler began by moving the central hallway south, which added 3 feet of space to the corridor. This provided room for a washer and dryer and storage closets. Formerly a dark space, the hallway is now illuminated by a colorful stained-glass skylight and a framed mural-like stretch of wallpaper designed by cartoonist Saul Steinberg for Schumacher.

Reconfiguring the hallway also allowed Brettler to transform a bedroom located off the living room into a den and library that doubles as a guest room. These subtle changes helped to simplify the home's circulation and provide a circular path in which to navigate the house.

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Linda Hunt's Hollywood bungalow a welcoming blend of whimsy, elegance