Bermuda Woods Palmer & Krisel Porte Cochere Home For Sale – Reseda, CA

Built in 1955 by Dunas, Greene & Swidler, this Bermuda Woods home located in Reseda, CA features an early Palmer & Krisel design feature – a porte cochere. This wasn’t a very common elevation feature on Krisel-designed homes, but they do appear in Bermuda Woods, Corbin Palms and Louise Manor, all in the San Fernando Valley. In addition to the porte cochere, this home includes four bedrooms and two bathrooms in 1,296 square feet along with an in-ground pool on a 7,400 square-foot lot with an asking price of $460,000.

Home is hidden from street due to tall shrubs

This is the typical Bermuda Woods floor plan that we’ve seen – family room off of the entryway at the front of the home, kitchen at the end of the home, living and dining at the rear overlooking the backyard and bedrooms at the opposite end of the home.  The front of the home is fairly well guarded from the street, with tall shrubs separating the home from the front sidewalk.  Behind the shrubs sit a front lawn and the U-shaped driveway which has recently been closed off on one end, allowing for only one street access now.

Pretty much all of the doors and windows have been replaced on this home with mullioned white vinyl windows, which alter the intended look of the home with the mullions adding divisions where the indoors was meant to blend with the out.  In addition, portions of the exterior of the home have had a 1/3 height stacked stone veneer added to it, which alters the proportions of the residence and creates a heavy base where it was neither needed nor intended.

Living and Dining Rooms

Living Room 

Pool area viewed from Dining and Living Room - Mullioned windows create separation between indoors and out

Inside, the home has been fairly updated, with just the basic floorplan, south-facing clerestories and open, beamed ceilings still intact. Pretty much everything else has been removed or remodeled. In the living room, the signature Krisel-modernist fireplace has been converted to a traditional firebox with traditional surround and mantle, diminishing it’s impact upon the room.

Kitchen with sink and dishwasher moved to front of home

Kitchen viewed from Dining Room

The kitchen configuration has been altered some, pushed forward a bit and expanded into the former laundry space at the front of the home. The cabinets are white raised panel, some with mullioned glass inserts, while the counters are black granite and appliances stainless steel.

Bedroom features access to the rear yard

Bathrooms have been updated with big-box store grade materials

The bathrooms have all been updated with big-box store grade materials, traditional in style and the walls have been covered in floor tiles. The bedrooms are still in their original configurations, with the exception of the north-facing clerestories being removed.

Backyard patio 

Yard features moderately-sized in-ground pool

Out back there’s a moderately-sized in-ground pool, a patio for entertaining and sunbathing, and a moderately-sized grass area. There’s a few trees to help block out the west-facing sun and add shade and privacy to the yard, along with a raised planter at the rear of the pool which allows for additional planting space.

While this is a Krisel-designed  home, many of the Krisel hallmarks have been watered down or removed. The home is priced right, making it a good opportunity to restore or renovate with mid-century modern elements that better embody the architectural style of the home. Either way, it’s got great potential to be a fantastic home.

Check out the full listing on Redfin.com here: 8207 Aura Avenue

Or Realtor.com here: 8207 Aura Avenue