Schnell

The Schnell residence, an adaptive reuse of a midcentury ranch design, was Della Schnell’s childhood home, built in 1962. The remodel plan involved opening up the social spaces and incorporating full-height glass to engage with an open, reimagined landscape plan.

Della Schnell grew up in the home and knew that she and her husband, John, wanted to move there and modernize it. As with most homes of this generation, there were many smaller rooms and eight foot ceilings. But removing a few walls that separated the kitchen from living space--complemented by the family room’s original cathedral ceiling--created an open, generous design,.

The use of small structural changes, modern details, and a softer, warmer interior color palette has enabled the Schnells to create a home sympathetic to its desert location, while preserving the home’s original feel.

What is unique about this home is that we accomplished so much with so little effort, I feel that this was my simplest and best remodel.