A historic 1933 Spanish Colonial home gets a modern Hollywood makeover in Silver Lake.

This episode follows the first California renovation project in the history of This Old House. Experts tackle the unique challenges of updating a 1,500-square-foot Spanish Colonial Revival home while preserving its original character through careful material salvage and replication.

Located in the Silver Lake hillside neighborhood, the 1933 project house owned by Kurt Albrecht and Mary Blee requires a significant transformation. The renovation plan involves a major kitchen overhaul, a reconfiguration of the first floor, and the addition of a second-story master suite. To maintain the home's aesthetic, the team focuses on replicating intricate plaster wall details and harvesting antique clay roof tiles for future reuse.

The episode highlights the specific complexities of building in Los Angeles, contrasting the project house with other local construction sites. By documenting the process of salvaging finish materials and planning structural additions, the crew demonstrates how to modernize historic architecture without sacrificing its original architectural integrity.

Source: This Old House | TOH Goes Hollywood, Almost (S32 E17) | FULL EPISODE