Text by Hannah Nance
Original cabinetry, a quaint kitchen dining nook, authentic chair rails—living in a historic home comes with its fair share of charming perks, something Marie Lloyd knows well. Her 1926 South Hollywood bungalow might not be considered old for some parts of the country, but for Los Angeles, it’s a piece of history in every sense of the word.
In fact, when Marie bought the home two years ago, she got it from the original owner’s granddaughter—it had been in the hands of just one family for nearly a century. With that being said, the cottage had quite a few renovations to be done. “When I bought it, it had pink walls and needed some work,” Marie recalls. But she preferred it that way so she could keep every little detail intact.
Marie is quick to admit that the house is still a work in progress. “We started out renovating the basics, like the plumbing, but we haven’t done the electrical system yet, so we still have glass knobs and all,” she says. With the location and the historic nature of the home also comes another small sacrifice: a lack of living space. After moving from a 500-square-foot studio, the almost 800-square-foot bungalow seemed full of ample space at first. But as Marie grew accustomed to the home, the lack of storage space became more and more evident, which led her to her minimalist style. “Even with built-in cabinetry, we only have room for about 12 dishes in a set,” she says. “You learn to make do.” A clean white color palette also aids in space saving.
The family makes great use of their backyard to extend their living space. “With the weather here, we always find ourselves starting dinner parties and gatherings outside and then slowly moving inside to the dining room, kitchen, or living room,” she says. In addition to the gorgeous outdoor living space overflowing with botanicals, the home also features assortments of fresh greenery in nearly every room thanks to the avid gardeners in Marie’s family, like her mother, florist Margaret Joan Lloyd.
Though the nearly century-old house has seen its fair share of history through the years, some things never change. The area was originally developed as a place for young women working in the boom of Hollywood to live. With large kitchens for the time, charming features, and quick access to the streetcar, it was the perfect place to be. So, as a young workingwoman, you could say that Marie feels right at home in her cozy bungalow.
