A Silver Lake Bungalow Reimagined with Italian Flair

Perched along one of Silver Lake’s famed stair streets in Los Angeles, this compact 1940s bungalow proves that small homes can hold remarkable design ambition. Renovated over the course of a meticulous year by designer Gabriel Yuri, the residence balances historic charm with a confident, contemporary sensibility shaped by vintage European influences and relaxed Southern Californian living.

The home belongs to Yuri himself — founder of the multidisciplinary design agency New Operations Workshop — and serves as a personal retreat when he travels between projects on the East and West Coasts. The renovation presented a delicate challenge: modernise the modest structure without erasing the character that defines a classic California bungalow.

“The biggest challenge was modernising the space while still staying true to the historic 1940s charm,” Yuri explains. “We wanted to create an atmosphere that felt relaxed yet refined, where the home’s history and surroundings could breathe while still reflecting a love of design.”

A Creative Enclave in Silver Lake

The house sits in one of Los Angeles’ most culturally vibrant neighbourhoods, near the historic Corralitas Red Car Trail — once part of the city’s extensive trolley network — and within easy reach of the Silver Lake Reservoir.

For decades, this area has attracted artists, designers and architects, with landmarks such as the Neutra VDL Studio and Residences by Richard Neutra and the iconic Silvertop residence by John Lautner reinforcing the neighbourhood’s architectural pedigree.

Vintage Italian Glamour Meets California Cool

While the bungalow’s bones remain modest, the interior aesthetic draws heavily on the glamour and experimentation of 1970s Italian design. According to Yuri, the project was shaped early on by the presence of a vintage Marenco sofa — a sculptural Italian design classic that ultimately became the anchor for the entire scheme.

Chrome planters, metallic accents and tactile materials echo the spirit of that era, while a carefully curated mix of vintage and contemporary pieces ensures the interiors feel layered rather than nostalgic. Lighting and furniture by design icons such as Charlotte Perriand, Eileen Gray and Poul Kjærholm sit comfortably alongside contemporary artworks and custom pieces produced by the studio.

Preserving the Character of the Bungalow

At just over 1,000 square feet, the single-storey home required thoughtful spatial planning. The long front porch — a defining feature of the original structure — was carefully preserved, maintaining the bungalow’s street-facing charm.

Inside, Yuri prioritised keeping the home’s scale intact while improving its openness and connection to the surrounding landscape. In the bathroom, original glass blocks were preserved from an earlier renovation, becoming a subtle focal point that honours the building’s layered history.

A Neutral Canvas with Bold Accents

The colour palette was intentionally restrained, allowing furniture and artworks to command attention. “We decided to let the walls be a blank white canvas and allow for some special pops of colour and texture to come through the décor,” Yuri explains.

Against white walls and white oak floors, burnt-orange velvet upholstery contrasts with black leather and chrome details. This interplay of textures and tones threads throughout the home, linking the living, dining and bathroom spaces.

In the kitchen, Yuri resisted contemporary trends in favour of timeless simplicity. White cabinetry maintains the bungalow’s original spirit, complemented by blackened wood hardware and matte-black fixtures.

Meanwhile, the bathroom introduces a playful twist with plywood surfaces, chrome fittings and a latex sink skirt — a detail that adds an unexpected softness to the space.

A Personal Study in Relaxed Living

Ultimately, the project was less about dramatic transformation and more about crafting a deeply personal atmosphere. The home now functions as a curated environment where artworks, vintage pieces and design icons coexist within a calm architectural envelope. Furnishings such as the Marenco sofa, sculptural lighting and eclectic artworks become focal points against the understated backdrop.

The result is a home that captures the essence of Southern California design: relaxed yet intentional, eclectic yet cohesive. For Yuri, the renovation achieved exactly what he had envisioned — a space that feels “relaxed yet refined with a collection of eclectic design pieces which stand out against a white envelope and allow views to shine through.”

Credits

Design: New Operations Workshop, Instagram: @newoperationsworkshop

Photos: Graham Dunn, Instagram: @grahamdun, Clarke Tolton, Instagram: @coolwaves, Gabriel Yuri, Instagram: @newoperationsworkshop