This Beautiful Before and After Craftsman Transformation Will Leave You Speechless

When designer Shanty Wijaya and her team at ALLPRACE bought this Los Angeles home, it was clear that it didn’t belong in the neighborhood. “Prior to our purchase, the home had been on the market for a while, and was a standard new construction home without character or soul. The home is located in the historic Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, known for their Craftsman-style homes. Our goal was to ensure that the home blended in nicely with the surrounding homes in the neighborhood, which are charming and full of character.”

Over the course of five months, Wijaya and her team redesigned and remodeled the entire home, from the outdoor spaces and exterior style to the interior, turning it into the new hot house on the block.

“We wanted to transform the property into a charming and character-filled Craftsman-style home that was representative of the historic Jefferson Park neighborhood,” says Wijaya. “We came up with the concept—Modern Farmhouse and Craftsman with a California flair of indoor-outdoor living as the vision for this project.”

“To achieve our desired look, we changed out the exteriors of the home by adding in woodwork, board batten, shaker, and wood pergola,” she says. “We added in a custom stained and designed fence and gate to give off the modern craftsman and vintage feel, even though the home is a new construction.”

The home originally was dark and felt small. “The layout was closed off with dimly lit rooms and standard builder material and finishes throughout the home,” says Wijaya.

“To make the floor plan more inviting, we created a smart, open layout with splashes of colors. We also changed out the doors and windows to create light-filled spaces throughout the home,” she says.

Similar to the rest of the house, the kitchen was also created with standard materials.

Wijaya and her team designed the kitchen by taking out the upper cabinetry and replacing it with a long shelf for open storage and decor, and while the lower cabinetry is blue, the kitchen island was designed with wood to make it pop. Vertical shiplap adds texture to the newly opened space.

Originally, the home featured a bedroom directly to the right of the kitchen and dining area.

Now, that bedroom is transformed into a family room, opening up the main space of the house and adding character through shelving and a brick fireplace. “Honestly, I love everything in this home because each room has its own unique character and identity,” says Wijaya. “Altogether, each space harmoniously brings coziness and charm to the overall look and feel of this home.”

Even with one of the bedrooms removed, there were still three bedrooms remaining—one master suite, and two guest bedrooms. Both guest bedrooms needed a revamp, and the first guest bedroom was especially in need of more light.

“The first guest bedroom is located in the back of the home with French aluminum wood clad doors that open up to the backyard deck. My inspiration for this room was a coastal farmhouse look, which we achieved with custom wall paneling, custom cafe shutters for a semi window covering, and a plantation-style closet door with a vintage-find ceramic closet knob,” says Wijaya. “The navy and blue patterned wallpaper adds a fun pop of color to the room and it’s a great way to tie into the main color theme of the home.”

The second guest bedroom, luckily, had enough light pouring in, but was still missing character.

“The second guest bedroom has a beautiful view of the fully landscaped side yard to enhance the quintessential Southern California indoor-outdoor living feel,” says Wijaya. “We installed a plaid patterned wallpaper on the bottom of the bed wall to create an illusion of having a headboard. The horizontal shiplap on the top part of the bedroom wall adds texture and creates a cohesive look to the entire theme of the home.”

“Though the colors on this room are pretty monochromatic, we created layers and unexpected textures by installing the intricate designed mirrored closet doors, custom roman shade, and shiplap,” she says. “The two antler sconces serve as both an art piece and playful lighting.”

The guest bathroom was a dark space, with no natural light source in the original design.

Wijaya’s new design added a skylight to bring in natural light, and used horizontal shiplap to continue the design themes found in both the kitchen and guest bedroom. Pops of black in the tile, the new shower door, and farmhouse-style vanity create a cohesive look with a touch of bold.

Originally, the master suite came off pretty average, with bland color choices and materials.

“The vision for the master suite ties in with the Modern Farmhouse and Craftsman style, with its contrasting details, textures, and pops of color,” says Wijaya. “The master bedroom has a walk-in closet, shiplap ceiling, aluminum wood-clad windows, and a wide single patio door, which leads to the back porch. We created dimension and visual interest to the space by adding in two-toned subtle paint colors on the baseboard and walls.”

The master bath was previously a small and fairly standard bathroom.

Wijaya redesigned the master bath to include a deep soaking tub and rain shower, skylight, wide double vanity, and designer navy patterned cement tile. “For the master bath, the patterned cement tile contrasts beautifully with the dark solid reclaimed wood vanity and white brick tile. We also loved the vintage charm of the chandelier, which gives the room a rustic yet modern vibe,” she says.

“Prior to our renovations, the backyard was empty and bare without any landscaping or visual interest,” says Wijaya. “Our biggest goal and main source of inspiration was to add value and functionality for the new owner by creating an indoor-outdoor living experience. We envisioned the backyard as an extension of the living space where the new homeowner could relax, work, and play. We thought of everything from where the children would play outside to how the family would entertain guests. We wanted to figure out the best way to create a sanctuary that the family can retreat to from their busy lifestyle.”

The backyard’s after is one of the most wow-worthy moments of the home. “To achieve this outdoor oasis, we built the long decking spanning from the left to the right of the property connecting the master suite and guest bedroom to the backyard by installing the glass aluminum wood-clad door,” says Wijaya. “The deck serves as a private seating area for the master suite and guest bedroom occupants. We selected tall bushes in front of the decking to serve as a semi-private screen. Then, we custom built square concrete pathways connecting the front, side, and backyard spaces. These squares are great for furniture to be placed on, so it doesn’t get damaged or wet from the grass.”

Plus, the exterior’s new color—Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron—packs a moody punch against the green backdrop of the yard.

While this was the rest of the yard’s before, it doesn’t look that way anymore. “The front, side, and backyard spaces are all fully landscaped and designed with mature plants and trees along with carefully selected florals and bushes. Each window and glass door in the house has a beautiful view of the landscaping and greenery, which gives a sense of tranquility and privacy for the homeowner.”

The rest of the yard features plenty of space to dine, play, relax, and even work, thanks to the addition of the shed. “We bought the Shed Shell, which had no windows, no walls, etc., and we customized it inside and out by painting it, and adding a wood wall panel, ceiling, windows, flooring, lighting, and electrical,” says Wijaya. “We added the custom shed in the corner back of the backyard that can be used as a flex space—an art studio, yoga studio, office, anything.”

“In the center of the yard, we added a large grass area, perfect for children to play on,” she says. “In front of the shed, we added a thoughtfully placed hammock and metal benches as a reading or conversation spot. There is also a small seating area in the side yard right by the French door that connects to the family room, further emphasizing the indoor-outdoor living experience this home provides.”

But one of the biggest changes on the property came with the garage. Instead of leaving it as a standard garage, Wijaya and her team transformed it into a separated ADU, or additional dwelling unit.

“We converted the two-car garage into an ADU. The homeowners are still able to park their cars on a large driveway space that is fully fenced and gated,” says Wijaya. “Adding the ADU creates tremendous value to the home for the homeowner. It increased the square footage of the home and allowed for a potential rental income. The inspiration for the space comes from my take on a quaint, English cottage full of character and retro vibes. I wanted to create the feeling that you’re on vacation when you step into the space.”