Home tour: a modern ranchette infused with timeless sustainability in Los Angeles, California

Beyond the exterior, Samaha took an unconventional approach to revamping the space. The original entry lacked presence; to remedy this, he removed the front roof canopy to visually raise the entry point, thereby exposing and accentuating the structural elements that set the home apart. Samaha now describes the experience of coming upon the house as a glimpse of its “humble majesty,” an attunement with its understated confidence and strength.

The layout itself underwent careful reconsideration to reinforce both privacy and spatial clarity. Private quarters now occupy the east side of the property, where morning light feels softer and more restorative. A dedicated guest room sits opposite on the west side, allowing visitors to feel connected to family life whilst maintaining their own sense of independence. This simple organisational logic creates natural rhythms throughout the day, the home’s orientation responding to solar patterns in instinctive and unrestrained ways. 

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Elsewhere in the Los Angeles home, the material palette reveals its full sophistication. Australian travertine stone and Italian Cipollino marble ground the space with their exquisite materiality. Beneath them, French white oak floors create warmth that deepens with use. To add a touch of the organic to the space, handcrafted Zellige tiles feature slightly irregular surfaces catching light differently and animate walls with subtle variation. Brass and nickel fixtures provide metallic contrast in the space, paired with walls clad in limewash paint finishes that create soft textures throughout the day.

A key element of the living room design was the Corten steel fireplace. Rather than relegating this weathering material exclusively to exterior applications, Samaha introduced it indoors, grounding the space and creating what he describes as “an inviting, lived-in feel.” Similar to other materials in the home, the rust-orange patina that Corten develops is embraced as a sign of character within the space. 

The landscape strategy mirrors the architectural restraint seen throughout the home. Both front and back yards feature decomposed granite and limestone cobblestone, materials drawn from European estate traditions. This results in durable, weather-resilient surfaces that feel equally at home across all seasons.   

There’s profound respect embedded in Samaha's decision to rework the original structure rather than demolish and rebuild. In an era when teardowns dominate desirable neighbourhoods, choosing renovation signals a dedication to sustainable practice and appreciation for the layers of history embedded in one single home. 

In particular, the Shadybrook ranch of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, is a celebration of a unique architectural style. Rather than fighting the home’s horizontal nature and intimate scale, Samaha leans into these characteristics, discovering within them opportunities for contemporary reinterpretation.

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