Jack West House

Mid-century modern bones meet Hollywood glamour. Crystal chandeliers, glitter ceilings, and original details hint at a stylish past. Careful renovations have preserved, and reimagined, this unique character.

The original owner, Jack West, built this house for his family in 1957. It is believed he modelled his floor plan, with some modifications, after one in the October 1956 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine. Mr. West personally handed his copy of the magazine to the current owners, when they purchased the house from him in 2003. In this copy, he had marked-up the layout reflecting some of the changes he was planning on and did make.

Although the house’s bones are mid-century modern, there are interior elements that say Hollywood Regency style: the light-switch to the right of the entrance, the double-front entry doors, the original crystal chandeliers in the hallway and dining room, and the glitter ceilings in the front rooms.

Soon after moving in the new owners replaced of all the windows with double-glazed ones. 

They started an ambitious renovation in 2007/08; as much as possible retaining, and where possible, repurposing or replicating existing interior elements. The exception was the original carpeting, which was removed and new flooring install. Retained were wood panelling, window valances, and the back bedrooms’ built-ins with drawers, sliding doors, desk and bookcase scaled for the West children. The owners repurposed the wood paneling from the dining room wall when it was pushed forward two feet to enlarge the kitchen and the original kitchen counter and undercabinet.

The wood panelling was installed at the bottom of the stairs. The kitchen’s prefabricated steel kitchen cabinets from Youngstown Kitchen with original floral molded plastic laminate countertop went into the basement workshop. The Youngstown Kitchen cabinets were iconic porcelain-enameled steel kitchen cabinets produced by Mullins Manufacturing Corporation in Ohio from the 1930s to the 1950s. They were a leading pre-fabricated, durable kitchen option during the post-war housing boom.

New doors were matched to existing flat panel, wood finish doors. The three reed-glass panels in the stairwell inspired the new pocket doors and the glass wall in the later basement renovation.

The kitchen’s update features addition of pot lights and two skylights; sleek, white cabinetry that provides an abundance of storage; a back splash of back-painted glass that has a warm, silvery ambiance and no grout lines, so is a snap to clean.

The powder room and main bathroom were updated; the latter being reconfigured as an ensuite at that time.

A second renovation was undertaken in 2013/14. The living room’s textured glitter ceiling was removed to add pot lights; the new ceiling replicated the original one. A gas insert was installed in the existing fireplace, and new carpeting installed. The most dramatic change was in the lower-level. To enlarge the basement, instead of building out, the owners dug down, excavating the crawl space. This excavated area is the games/AV room and storage area behind the reed glass wall. The room's pair of unusual “Cross Check” chairs were designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry and produced by Knoll.

After access for excavating was no longer needed, the back deck was rebuilt. The railing’s glass allows the owners to enjoy garden activity while sitting. The clothesline post is original to the house. The carport’s gate and panel of angled wooden slates are also original to the house. The reed glass, at the top of the exterior wall was added for privacy, and echoes the glass inside.

By Anna Camporese