Budget Breakdown: This Sunny 1939 Santa Monica Bungalow Shines After a $765K Remodel

Santa Monica’s quaint Sunset Park neighborhood was originally built to support Douglas Aircraft Company workers but today it has grown from a once-modest area to one of the best places to live in West Los Angeles. An array of original homes and new-build two stories, typical of the gentrifying area and real estate demand, dot its streets while the highly-rated school district and charming 20th century architecture continue to draw buyers. 

It’s no secret that buying in the area will cost you. One couple, who had been living in a 1939 bungalow, chose to do an extensive remodel instead of move. 

"They really liked the neighborhood and wanted to stay there," says architect Susan Addison. "They had entertained the option of looking around but as an investment and lifestyle choice, it didn’t make sense." 

For approximately 15 years, the couple had lived in a home Addison and her partner, Jefferson Schierbeek, deemed as not their own as they adapted to a less than optimal situation. The homeowners, both writers in their 50s, had an extensive art collection and wanted a home that felt authentic to who they are and how they live.