Photo: Hughes Umbanhowar Architects

The renovation of Paseo Miramar expanded the original Mid-Century residence, built in 1956, to 3,000 square feet. The hillside house, one of the jewels of Pacific Palisades, offers panoramic views of the Palisades, Catalina Island, and even Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles.

The architects on the project, Hughes Umbanhowar of Venice, CA added a pool and deck to the structure, per the original 1956 blueprint. Supported by a pile, the pool juts out onto the hillside. Native shrubs and greenery surround the hills across from the pool expansion.

An addition to the primary bedroom sets the living space farther out onto the hillside. The room has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lush landscape and other homes in the area, the mountains in the distance, and the Pacific Ocean. Beams support the addition, securing it to the hillside.

The ceiling, reconstructed with Doug fir beams, creates a streamlined, natural look for all of Paseo Miramar’s rooms, including three bedrooms. The living room has a built-in sofa and tall, lightweight wood bookcases. The living area opens up into the kitchen/dining space. It has a simple, blonde wood table, slate counter and separate built-in seating area for relaxing and socializing.

The kitchen’s sliding glass door opens to an understated wood deck overlooking the ocean. A few steps away, a rectangular pool offers a breathtaking view of the Palisades and West Side with the buildings of downtown L.A. in the distance. The bedroom and living room windows offer a clear view of the pool and patio.

The interior design, by Brad Dun, favors sparse lines and a beige, white and grey color scheme. In the living room, two spacious off-white armchairs surround a glass table with a vase of small flowers. A fireplace faces the chair and table setting. Potted plants are placed in various locations as accents. A bench adorns a corner of the living room. One of the bedrooms has a beige sofa with white throw pillows and an end table with a beige and white lamp.

An outdoor hallway against the hillside has a black slate floor. Lush vegetation grows on the hillside above the low, white brick wall. Steel beams jut out at the end of the hallway are firmly rooted in the hillside, next to the door.

The renovation was completed in 2005. The architects used stone, stucco, cork, plaster, colored concrete, glass and wood to extend some areas and modernize others. By using simple, natural materials, the revamped house stays functional and beautiful but lets the hillside and vegetation remain the real stars of the design.

Known as Richard Neutra’s Troxell Residence when it was first built, today’s updated version improved upon the original post and beam construction to add space to this hillside home without making it look loftier or too “busy”.

Paseo Miramar, like most other hillside homes, doesn’t take up as much space as luxury homes on flat land. The secret to the home’s beauty lies in the planning and construction. Simple, elegant lines and a view of the natural wonders of Southern California more than make up for the reduced space.

Here are some more pictures of the Paseo Miramar renovation by Hughes Umbanhowar Architects.