A restored living room. The restoration involved replacing his original 69 windows in the house, including the slanted transom just below the ceiling.
new life at home
Dan Bridges, developer and retired rabbi,He built the house in 2020 for $2.6 million. Bridge worked with architect Paul Armitstead to bring the house closer to its original condition. The two are seasoned renovators who have completed projects in both Palm Springs and the Seattle area where they live. (They are former brothers-in-law.) Together, they hope to restore the House of Tomorrow to a “living, breathing thing,” Bridge said.
When Bridge bought the house, it was abandoned and in poor condition. He and Armitstead contacted the Getty Institute archives, where Krisel’s papers are kept, to obtain the original architectural drawings of the house. They wanted to better understand and respect the original design intent.
This refurbishment was a labor of passion. The process has had its usual problems, such as the city appreciating the historic value of the house but halting construction. Ultimately, it was certified as a Type 1 Historic Site, requiring the appearance of the house to be as close as possible to its original appearance. The home’s interior finish has been replaced with an almost completely updated equivalent. The color palette is nearly identical to the original.
A review of the original plans revealed that an unauthorized bedroom had been added to the rear of the house, and the team agreed to remove it and restore the original symmetrical configuration. The outdoor pool and paved areas had been eroded by tree roots and had to be completely rebuilt, including adding new underground utility services. Inside, all mechanical and electrical systems have been replaced.
69 original windows have been replaced with energy efficient double glazed versions. Replacing the transom was especially difficult because it was angled to match the slope of the ceiling. The team made every effort to match the original design, embedding the window tops into the stucco ceiling to maintain continuity from inside to outside.
new life at home
Dan Bridges, developer and retired rabbi,He built the house in 2020 for $2.6 million. Bridge worked with architect Paul Armitstead to bring the house closer to its original condition. The two are seasoned renovators who have completed projects in both Palm Springs and the Seattle area where they live. (They are former brothers-in-law.) Together, they hope to restore the House of Tomorrow to a “living, breathing thing,” Bridge said.
When Bridge bought the house, it was abandoned and in poor condition. He and Armitstead contacted the Getty Institute archives, where Krisel’s papers are kept, to obtain the original architectural drawings of the house. They wanted to better understand and respect the original design intent.
This refurbishment was a labor of passion. The process has had its usual problems, such as the city appreciating the historic value of the house but halting construction. Ultimately, it was certified as a Type 1 Historic Site, requiring the appearance of the house to be as close as possible to its original appearance. The home’s interior finish has been replaced with an almost completely updated equivalent. The color palette is nearly identical to the original.
A review of the original plans revealed that an unauthorized bedroom had been added to the rear of the house, and the team agreed to remove it and restore the original symmetrical configuration. The outdoor pool and paved areas had been eroded by tree roots and had to be completely rebuilt, including adding new underground utility services. Inside, all mechanical and electrical systems have been replaced.
69 original windows have been replaced with energy efficient double glazed versions. Replacing the transom was especially difficult because it was angled to match the slope of the ceiling. The team made every effort to match the original design, embedding the window tops into the stucco ceiling to maintain continuity from inside to outside.