Altadena Storybook Cottage Rebuild
Altadena, California
Project Overview
When the Eaton Fire took this family's 1920s storybook cottage, it took nearly a century of character with it: the steep rooflines, the arched windows, the stone chimney that anchored the street. Rebuilding meant more than replacing square footage. It meant bringing the soul of the original home back to the lot, built to today's fire-hardened standards.
The new cottage honors that storybook silhouette, from the swooping gable roof to the arched entry door and hand-laid stone chimney, while the interior opens into something the original never had: light. Warm white-oak cabinetry, limewashed plaster walls, and travertine surfaces carry a soft, sun-washed palette through the kitchen, dining, and bedrooms, connected by arched passageways and wide-plank oak floors.
It's a home that feels like it has always belonged in Altadena, because in spirit, it has.
Project Features
- Faithful storybook exterior: steep swept-gable roofline, arched wood entry door, and natural stone chimney rebuilt to the original character
- Fire-resistant construction throughout: Class A roofing, stucco exterior, tempered arched windows, and ember-resistant venting
- Limewashed plaster walls and arched interior openings for a soft, old-world feel
- White-oak kitchen with travertine slab counters, backsplash, and sculpted plaster range hood
- Oversized travertine island with seating and unlacquered brass pendants and hardware
- Arched French doors connecting kitchen and dining to the rear yard
- Floor-to-ceiling built-in wardrobe wall with inset paneled doors and brass knobs
- Cane and white-oak bed frames with linen bedding in a warm, natural palette (staging)
- Continuous wide-plank European oak flooring throughout
- Drought-tolerant native landscaping (lavender, California poppies, agave) with decomposed-granite paths
Project Gallery
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