This Transitional residence in Santa Monica, California had many challenges due to stringent building codes, but turned out beautifully with expansive windows, subtle moldings, and layered textures creating a space that’s both elegant and warm. The client was determined to keep the flavor of this 1940s classic California cottage even though other architects told him to just tear it down. Matisse Studios persevered to incorporate his wishlist, creating a new addition for the dining room, kitchen, garage, and stair. Due to codes for front proportions, we could not design the addition to the front setback line and had to build a 15-foot cantilever for the dining room to hang over the driveway with a 40-foot steel beam. We also had to angle the design to meet codes but matching the original design style was so important to the client for sentimental reasons so it was all worth it.