We asked local interior designers about their most memorable makeover. Alejandro Lopez of Alejandro Interior Design Studio recalled the renovation of a modern home custom-built in the 80s. “The home—on the city’s Westside—overlooks the West Bottoms,” Lopez says. “The main emphasis of our design concept was the million-dollar view. It was all about the view.”
The expansive living room area his team renovated remains Lopez’s favorite, with the main focus on—you guessed it—the impressive, wraparound vista. “We had to perform a full demolition of the area, including built-in cabinets from the 80s, as well as walls and floors,” he says. “The original row of windows contained panels—divided in sections—that blocked and distracted the potential view of the room.”
To remedy the situation, Lopez replaced all the old windows with floor-to-ceiling glass panels. “We also decided not to build an indoor fireplace, again to avoid the interruption of the new view,” he says. “To solve this design dilemma, we created an outdoor linear fireplace. It sits alongside the new panoramic window and can be appreciated from inside. It also allows the client to enjoy their outdoor patio area.”
The dated, 80s monolith cabinet was also removed in order to create “a stainless-steel and wood media center,” he says. After all major installations were done, Lopez added new wooden floors, illumination, and some impressive retractable, motorized window shades.
Colorful statement pieces of art and furniture “brought color and functionality to the living room without being distracting. With the updated arrangement of the seating areas, the art, and the new, magnificent view, all these elements combined to make this my favorite room makeover.”