Yee-Ping Cho Design
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RENOVATION


Cho residence — Overview

  • 5738 Canterbury Drive, Culver City, CA 90230
  • Two-floor townhome built in mid '80s, approximately 1200 sq. ft. on concrete slab (plans probably not available)
  • Roughly 500 sq. ft. of floor downstairs; 650 sq. ft. of floor upstairs
  • Stairs: one wide step to garage (39" width); five steps to landing plus eight additional steps to second floor (34" width)
  • Two bedrooms and two full baths upstairs and half bath downstairs
  • High ceilings in most areas other than kitchen and bathrooms
  • Central air
  • Two shared walls with neighbors
  • Attached garage and small patio

There might be some overlapping tasks  [In progress — last updated April 22, 2025]

Punchlist // Inspiration // Mood board 

Inspiration document contains some of what you'll see on this web page — but there's some new imagery there, too.
​Overall, we are looking for clean, simple lines — mid-century modern vibes.
Contemporary — don't want fussy details.
​​ ​GENERAL
  • Construction: 
    — Need demo and removal to be included for all work (do not use trash dumpsters for residents)
    — May need assistance moving some furniture/appliances and covering exposed surfaces
    — Need somebody who can provide engineering/plans and pull permits as needed
    — Team needs to be insured and licensed
  • Floors:
    — Exposed slab needs to be cleaned and prepped
    — Downstairs: Oak engineered wide-plank (except kitchen)
    — Kitchen: Wide, gray tile
    — Stairs and upstairs: Same oak engineered wood as downstairs (bathrooms will have same wide, gray tile as kitchen). Do NOT want bull nose style.
    — Want a thin, metallic strip separating flooring materials in areas where they met (i.e. hallway and kitchen—see examples on Pinterest)
  • Electrical: 
    — Check/fix the quality of existing work
  • ​Plumbing: 
    — Check the condition of existing pipes and drains — may need to replace damaged or worn parts
    ​— OPTION: Install whole-home filtration system
  • Painting: 
    — Smooth, skim coat over existing knock-down finish
    — C
    eilings and walls need to be painted white (exact color TBD)
    — We will identify one wall to be painted in an accent color
  • Miscellaneous: 
    — Replace/fix lock on metal door to garage
    — Adjust front door so it doesn't rub/scrape loudly
  • Window coverings: 
    — Top-down, bottom-up blinds for all windows; need blackout in bedrooms like these, probably motorized.
  • Railings: 
    ​— OPTION: Remove existing and replace with glass. (Whatever we use for hand rail should continue on wall next to stairs to second floor.) Neighbor has one and it looks great.

BATHROOMS

  • Guest bath (upstairs, between the two bedrooms):
    — Demo and haul away old everything: floor tiles; tub/enclosure, towel bar, toilet; vanity; mirror; exhaust vent/fan; door
    — Install/replace new: tub and glass enclosure; toilet; mirror and vanity with lighting on dimmer (ideally with lots of storage space — maybe a tower?) and fixtures; exhaust vent/fan; towel bar(s); wood door and frame (current one doesn't close anymore); floor (gray, large plank tile); metal strip dividing flooring materials at door
    ​
  • Master bath (off the upstairs master bedroom, including the vanity area):
    — Demo and haul away old everything: tub/enclosure, fixtures; toilet; vanity; mirror; floor tiles (including the closet)
    — Install/replace new: create walk-in shower (no tub) with glass enclosure and rainfall shower fixtures; toilet; two-sink vanity and fixtures; dual mirrors with lighting; floor (gray, large plank tile); exhaust vent (we currently don't have one); replace lights with LEDs on dimmers; metal strip dividing flooring materials at door​
    ​
  • Half bath (downstairs):
    — We will use this as an office but we want to keep the plumbing roughouts to facilitate changing the space back to a bathroom later
    — Remove and replace existing exhaust fan; Install floor; re-surface and paint walls; replace lights with LEDs on dimmers
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STAIRWELL and 2ND FLOOR LANDING

— Replace atrium switches with two dimmers
— Install hanging light (George Nelson) in stairwell (replace light switches with dimmers at top and bottom of stairs)
— Install two ceiling fans upstairs (replace one and install one new one that needs power)
— Install smoke/Co2 detector second floor landing

LIVING ROOM

  • TV and fireplace: 
​— Demo/remove existing tiles and mantel
​— Install glass fire screen over the fireplace
— Build/install simple new mantel (a floating shelf) and hearth 
​— Pull wires for power above fireplace for TV; Install TV above fireplace using provided hardware
​— Finish walls with smooth surface and paint
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KITCHEN

  • Kitchen (84” floor to drop ceiling; 89” floor into soffit):
    — Demo and haul away: old appliances (large fridge; stove; microwave; dishwasher); old cabinets and sink; move small fridge to garage
    — Install/build/new in existing footprint: custom cabinets (prefer smooth, slab style vs. Shaker); counter top with overhang for casual dining (include outlets hidden under the counter ledge); under-mount sink and fixtures; counter-depth fridge; stove (possibly induction which would require new wiring); dishwasher; backsplash along two walls; vent over stove. We will not have a new microwave.
    ​— Install new light switch w/dimmer in kitchen
    ​— Might need more power/outlets in kitchen for additional counter-top appliances like air fryer, etc. (See note above Re: hidden outlets under breakfast counter)
    — OPTION: cut-back one wall segment (but keep weight-bearing column) for better sight-lines and spaciousness (scroll down to see samples of how our neighbor did it). 
    — OPTION: Remove existing soffit, install new LED lights, and refinish ceiling
  • Extended kitchen countertop with waterfall faux island overhang for eating at counter height on living room side (see sketch):
    — Build/install cabinets with sliding doors to fit underneath the eating surface
    — Build/install vertical cubbies/shelving for added storage/display space
    — Install three pendant lights (or comparable track light) over the new eating ledge
    — Install at least one set of outlets hidden under the new counter top on the living room side
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PATIO

— Install gate lock on patio door
​— Light fixture needs to be removed and replaced with new one

Townhome — visual reference

Downstairs (floor 1 of 2)
Kitchen measurements are approximate — for planning and to understand the space only. Kitchen is small — roughly 10'x8'. Needs new cabinets, floor and appliances. ​

​(Plan views combined with elevations — think of it like a folding box that has been flattened out, where the walls are hinged to the floor)
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Combined plan view and elevations, "hinged" along each of the four baseboards.
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Downstairs plan view (not to scale)
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Upstairs plan view (not to scale)
Upstairs (floor 2 of 2)

Basic measurements and reference

​WINDOWS
Master bedroom window (1 unit)
68 3/4" w at bottom
68 3/8" w at top
46 3/4" h
Nyla's room window (1 unit)
69" w
Left side 46 3/4" h
Rt side 47 1/4” h​
Downstairs windows (3 units)
32.5” w 
59” h ​

Some sketches and visual thinking that I did along the way


Examples from other units in the complex

We are looking for simple lines, clean and modern. Partial to mid-century modern and contemporary — don't want fussy details. Kitchen needs to be highly functional, especially the dead corners. 
The construction photos below are from a unit in the complex that has undergone massive, months-long renovation.
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