Black Gables Give a Filmmaker’s Venice Beach Home a Dramatic Edge

Ras-a studio plants a dwelling and an ADU on a wide Los Angeles lot while preserving its beloved avocado tree.

Mar 4, 2024 - 19:51

Black Gables Give a Filmmaker’s Venice Beach Home a Dramatic Edge

Ras-a studio plants a dwelling and an ADU on a wide Los Angeles lot while preserving its beloved avocado tree.

The two structures' gabled roofs can be prominently seen from the street, alongside its all-over black siding.

After chasing various creative pursuits in New York City and London, Emily and Gui Borchert were ready to settle down and start a family. The marketing professional and the filmmaker dreamed of a quiet, perpetually sunny neighborhood, which brought them to Venice Beach, California, in 2013.

Initially, they rented a "small and sweet" Spanish bungalow that had a converted garage in the back and a mature avocado tree to the side. "We had both boys in that house," Emily says, referring to their sons who are now seven and ten. "But as our family started to grow, 900 square feet and one functional closet started to feel very small."

The front of the renovated property features clean lines and few materials to not overwhelm its corner of the neighborhood. — The front of the property features clean lines and a limited material palette so as not to overwhelm its corner of the neighborhood.
Photo by Here and Now Agency

The couple wanted to make sure that their home was distinctive from the other modern properties that were popping up in Venice Beach, thanks to plenty of bespoke features. — "We’re in a pocket that’s tucked away from the major street in this city," Emily says. "It has lots of families, and we can walk to restaurants. Plus, it’s a quick bike ride to the beach."
Photo by Here and Now Agency

The couple bought the place from their landlord in 2016, and by 2020, they had saved up enough to expand. During these intervening years, they noticed that the neighborhood was changing, with small bungalows like theirs being replaced by uninspired estates. "We wanted to make sure ours looked bespoke and carefully considered," Emily says. "We hoped it could fit in, but also stand out."