Tour a Midcentury Home With Modern Interiors

Sometimes the toughest part of a renovation is deciding what to keep.

When Jeanette and James Wood found this sweet 1950s ranch in El Segundo, California, the place needed a ton of work — the previous owners had lived there for more than 60 years — but they didn’t want to lose any of the soul.

“The house had such a strong family vibe,” says Jeanette. She and James, parents to 2-year-old Simon, hired designer Alexis Vitale to double the size to 3,000 square feet and make it practical for their growing family while retaining the midcentury charm. The pitched wood ceilings, skylights and clerestory window stayed, and for the new additions, Alexis leaned into the original style with warm woods and earthy greens. The couple even kept some furniture from the prior family. “As we start a new chapter here,” Jeanette says, “it’s so special to carry pieces of their story into our own.”

The family spends most of their time in this open space. “We love to read Simon books and snuggle on the sofa, or have pizza night on the island,” says Jeanette. The leather sofa is from Four Hands, the ottoman is from Classic Home and the washable rug is from Jaipur Living.

A green backsplash from Artistic Tile set the color palette for the entire home, says Jeanette. “It brings the outside in.” The quartzite countertops are her favorite design element. “They have a textured, leathered finish and feel so earthy,” she says.

The couple plans to turn this space into a game room for Simon when he’s older, but for now, it’s their cocktail lounge. Alexis suggested the graphic Concrete Collaborative tile for the wall. “I kept googling photos of what it looked like installed, and I’m so glad we made the leap,” Jeanette says.

The Soho Home bed was one of the first pieces the couple chose. “It looks like it belongs in a moody library,” Jeanette says. Alexis made it even cozier with contrasting rust bedding from Villa Collection. The textured wallpaper is from Phillip Jeffries, and the sconces are from Hudson House.

Jeanette works from home (she’s in IT, James is in the entertainment industry) and wanted to make this a fun, inspiring space. “I’d seen so many chic wallpapers with birds, and that’s what we needed here,” she says of this peachy print from York Wallcoverings. A Classic Home chair, custom desk and Loloi rug completed the setup. "The office gets a ton of light from the window and open staircase. I like to unwind here too."