COVO – Luxury Small-Lot Homes Perfect for LA Buyers

LA Confidential Magazine

May 18, 2017

Small-lot homes are at some points only inches apart. But that space can make huge difference in neighborhoods. Unlike townhomes, small-lot residences have no shared walls, offering a sense of living in a “detached single-family home” without the acres of outdoor space. At the same time that they provide homeowners a sense of sanctuary, small-lot homes have another advantage: The ability to build more homes on less land.

At COVO, 10 small-lot homes that recently opened in high-demand Silver Lake, closeness to neighbors is improved by skillful design. Award-winning KTGY Architecture + Planning fashioned the sleek, contemporary homes with a sense of spaciousness while maintaining privacy. The open-plan concept, strategically placed windows, and lots of elevated outdoor elements — rooftop terraces and roomy decks — allow the homes to feel expansive, not constricted to a small footprint.

What sets COVO apart from other small-lot developments is the fact that the homes are not tall and skinny. Projects such as Toluca 17, a collection of 17 “slim” homes, which opened earlier this year, look and feel decidedly vertical; more like a townhouse without the shared walls. Even more extreme, a new subdivision of small-lot homes in Del Rey, designed by architect Jeffrey Eyster, divide just 1,800 square feet of living space into four stories of indoor space. Long, skinny windows only heighten the verticality, making them look less like houses and more like mini towers.

On the other hand, open-plan COVO homes (developed by Planet Home Living), seem to expand as one ascends each floor. The classic Silver Lake views add to this feeling. Appropriately nestled on a quiet residential street, the homes include three bedrooms, private two-car garages and up to 2,000-square-feet of living space. Homes start at $1.059 million.