Hillside home in Hollywood is remodeled to capture views

Architect Aaron Neubert gutted the home and opened the living level to embrace the city and park.

A carved travertine handrail in the entry was inspired by the handrail at Levitated Mass at LACMA.

Sleek travertine floors create an ideal racetrack for Dean, 6, left, Reed, 3, and Sloane, 4.

The new kitchen features a cantilevered walnut island made from walnut planks. “We were trying to find consistency for the entire house,” says architect Aaron Neubert of the walnut. “The built-in components should speak to each other.”

Neubert decided to add walls of glass and blow out the partitions on the second floor, allowing the kitchen, living and dining rooms to function as one long living area. Standing in the kitchen today, the couple have a comprehensive view through the house and to the views beyond.

Despite opening up all the walls on the second floor living area, the dining room still feels separate and distinct.

The Spillray cluster pendant from Axo is a colorful and fun addition to the dining room.

From the terrrace, the homeowners can see through the house.

A new courtyard creates a private exterior room where the family can relax and read on a teak bench by John Dunne. “We wanted the architectural experience to start gradually,” says architect Aaron Neubert of the new entrance.

Outside the window, a Japanese maple tree softens the modern architecture and casts dramatic shadows on the interiors.

Travertine floors extend inside and out. Rather than have multiple finishes, the homeowners wanted a uniform experience.

A new steel blade fence offers privacy from the street.

Working with John Dunne, Neubert created a powdercoated aluminum awning at the entrance to the house that gives the entry greater definition.

On the third floor, Neubert installed a roll-up door on the backside of the garage so the kids could play on the deck. There, they bounce on a trampoline, shown here.

Kendall Watson chose “Birds and Butterflies” wallpaper by Schumacher for the second floor powder room as a fun surprise. “I wanted to inject some playful color,” she says. “It needed a pop.”

And after. To capture the richness of the scenery, Neubert opened the living room to the views, provided access to decks on multiple levels and opened the house by establishing views through the interiors and beyond.

The new stairway is the heart of the house. The monolithic stairway is now a glass fishbowl, composed of travertine and walnut floors, window boxes and a convenient bench where the kids can sit and put on their shoes.

Glass and walnut stairs lead to the second floor. The custom pendant light is by Omer Arbel for Bocci.

Reed, 3, and Sloane, 4, try out the travertine stairway.

“We loved that it had unobstructed views of downtown and Wattles Park,” Kendall Watson says. “And knowing that no one would be able to build in front of us.”