This Mid-Century Modern House Was Originally Built on a Tennis Court Owned By a Hollywood Star

This house in the La Cañada, California, had an interesting history. It was originally built on a tennis court that used to belong to the home of Hollywood actor Victor McLaglen (he starred in many films directed in John Ford and also was a frequent costar of John Wayne).

Joao Canziani

“It had been remodeled in the 1980s and was a high mid-century structure,” explains Barrett Cooke, principal and co-founder of Arterberry Cooke . “Our team completely remodeled the house, changed out the doors and windows, and converted what was the garage into a laundry room and an office with a half bathroom. All of the exterior spaces were upgraded, including the pool deck and barbecue areas, and we resurfaced the pool.”

Joao Canziani

Joao Canziani

Barrett’s clients, a writer/musician husband and a fashion designer wife, have two teenage sons and needed their home to be a space that was roomy enough so they could work on their creative pursuits, while also being stylish, functional, and durable for family life . They wanted the home to be refreshed, while still retaining that mid-century modern charm .

Joao Canziani

“There was a white tile square flooring and the kitchen was dated and generic with white Shaker-style cabinets,” Barrett says. “The design of the home had not been touched since the ‘80s. We changed the layout of the primary suite so the bed could be oriented towards the pool. We also created a sanctuary-like bathroom and added large wardrobe closets, which was a must for the clients.”

Joao Canziani

The clients also wanted to infuse their own personalities into the design, like adding a bold front door and choosing a unique color palette in the interiors. The colors ended up working really well with the mid-century style of the home.

Joao Canziani

While renovating the kitchen, the team made an exciting discovery—when they tore up the white tile in the kitchen they found original terrazzo flooring underneath. “The clients loved the terrazzo flooring, however, it was not salvageable,” Barrett explains. “We found this gorgeous terrazzo from Concrete Collaborative and worked together to figure out how to use that material on the countertops, which honored the home’s original character and charm. We worked with Reform Kitchens to update the home’s mid-century vibe and bring in the home’s original elements. The clients fell in love with the green floor tile and we tried to keep everything else neutral and earthy.”

Joao Canziani

Joao Canziani

Another big update was the garage, which they transformed into a laundry room and studio office for the husband. It’s now the perfect spot for creating and working.

Joao Canziani

The home’s renovation pays homage to its mid-century history, thanks to the earth tones, warm woods, and splashes of color, but it’s also reimagined for the present day with a modern-looking kitchen that features new appliances, updated spa-like bathrooms , and enough storage for a family of four.