Tour an Airy Bungalow With Tons of Indoor-Outdoor Spaces

Kristin Mirek had always wanted to live in a light-filled, terra-cotta-tiled-roof home just like the Spanish-style stucco one her grandparents had. She found it in this 1924 Spanish bungalow in Los Angeles, complete with 20 windows and glass doors that lead to the outdoors in nearly every room. She ended up renting it out for several years when she moved to New York City to be with Jeff, her then boyfriend, and returned married with a toddler in tow. “The whole time I was away, I missed this house so much, especially the way we could go from inside to outside seamlessly,” says Kristin. (Pictured: Jeff and Kristin with Gabrielle, 7)

To make their 1,800 square feet feel even more open and inviting without major construction, the Mireks enlisted designer Barbie Palomino. They refreshed some rooms with white paint, revived the kitchen and bathroom, added uplifting new pieces of furniture and created one seriously dreamy outdoor oasis. The result: a space where it’s breezy and bright every single day. Striped awnings and sage green trim (painted High Park by Benjamin Moore) give a chill vibe.

Recovering the sun-bleached sofa was both practical and inspiring. “The color reminds me of the blue skies we have here,” says Kristin. A vintage Moroccan rug and a pair of chairs, covered in chenille Robert Allen fabric, are equally spirited, while mini glass tables open the space. Striped curtains echo the stripes on the awning. And that humongous rubber plant? It hides the neighbors’ garbage cans.

To import the exterior’s charm, Barbie suggested painting the dark wood cabinets the shade of the terra-cotta roof tile and doing Mediterranean-style floor tile (it’s from Cement Tile Shop). Putting a banquette with poppy pillows and a pedestal table in an empty corner has brightened up breakfast. “With another table and chairs outside, it’s become one big dining and entertaining space,” says Kristin.