A Designer Put in an Offer on This Historic Home Sight Unseen—See How She Transformed It

It takes a lot of guts and trust to put in an offer on a home without even stepping foot in it, but that’s what Sophia deDomenico of Et Sal Interiors did with her historic Eichler house in Thousand Oaks, California. It seemed kismet, though—it was located next to her friend’s home and it was put on sale by its original owner.

Charlotte Lea

Since it had been untouched since the 1960s, the home was in extremely delicate condition—almost frozen in time.

“Every system needed replacement or repair, which was a huge undertaking for the construction team at BuildD3, who executed the restoration beautifully,” Sophia explains. “The backyard was completely overgrown, the atrium housed a dead tree that had ruptured plumbing and concrete, the kitchen cabinetry was disintegrating at the touch, and many of the wood panels were warped. Even the bathrooms were barely usable. Still, we were intentional about preserving every possible element of original craftsmanship and design integrity.”

Charlotte Lea

Sophia’s goal was to capture Eichler’s artistic intent—prioritizing light, connection, a free-flow of indoor-outdoor living, and simplicity, but also modernizing it for family living.

She really let the house lead the redesign, leaning into the architecture. “The inspiration came from the play of natural light through glass, the sculptural quality of wood and concrete, and the serene balance between indoors and out,” Sophia says. “We incorporated updated contemporary lines through both construction materials and furnishings selections. We added custom millwork that paid homage to the home’s heritage without feeling novel. We added period-specific elements like basic white subway tile while incorporating materials such as high-gloss custom cabinets, quartzite, vintage decor finds, stoneware, modern custom furniture and contemporary sculptural art from artists such as Jeff Hastings to create a harmony of old and new. My goal was to create a design that felt like a respectful evolution rather than a reinvention.”

Charlotte Lea

As you walk into the home, you’re greeted by the atrium, which serves as both the entryway and the space that most embodies indoor-outdoor living. Sophia calls it the heart of the home. She and her team restructured and enhanced the courtyard by creating a living plant wall and outlining the border of the room with planters.

Charlotte Lea

The kitchen was completely rebuilt with a modern layout that enhances functionality. The waterfall island at the center of the room acts as a dining area while also providing storage. 

“Aspects like 3×6 subway tile backsplash and European flat-front custom cabinets were added as nods to the period without making it overly thematic,” Sophia says. “The lauan mahogany panels were restored by hand through a local stain master, Josh Zavala, and framed floating shelves added as a nod to the slide panel boxed pantry once featured in the home.”

Charlotte Lea

The design team repainted and stained the living and dining areas to match their original hues, which took a bit of trial and error to get it just right. The asbestos-laden linoleum floors were removed and the original concrete underneath was smoothed, polished and sealed.

Charlotte Lea

Ambient lighting was added strategically in every room.  The original globe pendant lights were hand-restored and sources to replace the broken fixtures. Sophia says they added natural textiles, furnishings, and art to soften the space, creating a modern environment that was better suited for family life and entertaining.

Charlotte Lea

“The bathrooms were entirely reimagined within their original footprint with a mix of mid-century influence and modern simplicity—every element is intentional, nothing excessive,” Sophia explains. “The one alteration made to the home was in the primary bathroom. The original floor plan only featured a 36″ single vanity making it near impossible for two people to get ready in the mornings. We adjusted the layout by cutting into the hall closet by an additional 24″ to accommodate a 60″ double vanity. Due to the oversized nature of the hall closet we were able to keep the original closet doors and only cut down the long hang size.”

Charlotte Lea

Sophia acknowledges that restoring a historic home required deep respect for the original architecture—doing research and having restraint was key. She says the goal wasn’t to “redesign” the home but to help it live beautifully in today’s world.

During the process, she made a surprising and heartfelt discovery in an old cabinet: a small note and original photograph of the home written by the original owner when the home was first completed. “It was a beautiful reminder that we were simply the next caretakers in a long story of artistry and optimism,” she adds.

Charlotte Lea

Sophia says that the newly renovated home feels timeless and celebrates everything that makes Eichler architecture beloved—clean lines, natural light, and quiet sophistication. “It’s warm, peaceful, and deeply connected to the people who now call it home. For me, that’s the truest measure of success,” she says.”