Design team Erick Zumwalt and Phil Ruhl revived a Los Angeles craftsman into a sunlit, Japandi-style home perfect for a family. As it turns out, the design process was a family affair, too. Erick’s sister, Olivia, oversaw the property’s interior design, and her husband, Chris, used his 3D software to help the team outline their goals for the space while building the custom millwork in key areas of the property.

The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home spans 2,477 square feet and includes an additional 450 square foot studio guesthouse out back, making it easy for the clients to host visitors as they desire.

The formal living room includes an artisan handcrafted plaster mantel, brand new oak floors, and original Craftsman touches—the moldings and beam ceilings are original to this 112-year-old home.

When working on this space, real estate agents Dominique Madden and Courtney Poulos of ACME helped Zumwalt and Ruhl bring their vision to life. The designer duo drew their inspiration from all kinds of craftsman’s homes throughout L.A., Zumwalt says.

“Our end result is a marriage of several types of craftsman home design, with a bit of a Scandinavian vibe to it,” he shares.

In addition to containing Scandi elements, the home is kept relatively minimal in the vein of Japanese design, and it therefore would best be described as Japandi.

Zumwalt and Ruhl wanted to honor the home’s history while ensuring that the design reflects the style of today.

“The main goal of the project was to revitalize the original 1910s craftsman architecture while bringing a touch of modern to the home, ensuring the space was in tip-top shape,” Zumwalt notes. “The little details of a craftsman home are typically the charm for a buyer, and the house just needed some additional TLC.”

A welcoming kitchen is contemporary and design and spacious enough for hosting aplenty. “The kitchen is the main focus and heart of the home and gathering spot for the family,” Zumwalt says. 

Textured travertine counters, flat front and custom wood cabinets, and an oversized island with seating and ample storage shine in the cooking space.

A sunny dining space is both welcoming and serene. Allowing as much sunlight to shine into the home was one of the designers’ main priorities during the completion of this project. As Zumwalt states, “The idea of the ground floor was to open up the floor plan as much as possible and create as many windows for natural light to enter the home.”

Zumwalt says that in addition to appreciating level of detail in the bathrooms and kitchen, the vaulted ceiling in the primary bedroom is one of the client’s favorite features of the completed home. “This helped create a sense of volume and size in what is a relatively smaller home,” he explains.

A window nook serves as the perfect spot to paint, all the while once again enjoying the natural light that flows into the space.