House 1: English Cottage ruined by gray and red trim
I rarely venture into Venice, perhaps because, as a native Westside Angeleno, Venice was considered for many years a dangerous area, filled with crime and drugs. Of course, everyone knows Venice has changed dramatically in the last decade or so, having become gentrified and expensive, fueled most recently by the influx of Silicon Beach “techies.”
House 2: Authentic English Cottage
So, I thought it would be fun to visit the Venice Canal Historic District with my friend and fellow “snarkitect” G. Bruce Smith and see its architectural creations.
I was surprised by how quiet and pretty it was (with the exception of the brackish canal water, brought on, perhaps, by the drought) and how many lovely homes, both old and new, line the waterways.
Of course, not all the homes are eye candy; there are a number of eyesores. Take a walk with me while I point out some architectural triumphs and some travesties.
House 3: Modern home has interesting architectural features
House 1: This very large Modern English Cottage could be absolutely charming without the horrid red and gray trim. There’s nothing wrong with modernizing a style as long as the overall feel of it is authentic.
House 2: This English cottage is charming and more authentic than House 1.
House 3: I’m generally not a big fan of modern homes, but this one has many interesting architectural features. And in this case, the use of red and grey works well because it is modern.
House 4: This cute cottage is typical of the original homes lining the canals
House 4: This cute cottage is delightful and sweet and one can only hope that it will be preserved. The canals will lose their charm if all the original bungalows and cottages are torn down to make way for large modern homes. In addition, there is much to be said for going small. The recent “tiny houses” trend notwithstanding, Los Angeles is still beset by too many monstrously large and ugly mansions.
House 5: This monstrosity left me speechless
House 5: I’m simultaneously horrified and delighted by this mish-mash of a home. At least the owner tried to bring some historical images and symbols to the exterior (some sort of hot Gothic mess?), but the house is so hideous, it mostly just leaves me speechless.