Current Projects

Charles Moore House Interior Restoration

Austin

“The main premise of this book is that any one who cares enough can create a house of great worth—no anointment is required. If you care enough you just do it. You bind the goods and trappings of your life together with your dreams to make a place that is uniquely your own. In doing so you build a semblance of the world you know, adding it to the community that surrounds you. —Charles Moore, The Place of Houses

Now that we have completed the restoration of the Compound's entire exterior envelope, we are now turning our attention to the interiors. In Spring 2025, Kevin completed the interior restoration of the Andersson House.

In January 2026, he will start a multi-year project to restore the far more complex Moore House interior. (Actually, work has already started. In December, we discovered a significant leak under the kitchen which required us to remove the floor and temporarily patch with plywood.)

How do we accomplish our preservation projects? Think of this as a modern-day barn raising. Since these projects are too complex to have volunteers do the physical work, we ask people from around the world to contribute to the costs of the materials and tools.

And then Kevin Keim, the Foundation's Director, does most of the preservation work himself. This means project costs are dramatically reduced, so contributions have maximum impact. (In some instances, we do get professional help for tasks such as electrical work.)

What's changed recently is that the Foundation now supports a Preservation Intern from the University of Texas School of Architecture. In exchange for living in the Cube Loft during his graduate studies, Ryan Irby helps with (and learns about) the preservation work when he has free time on the weekends.

Given the cost of materials these days—a single gallon of paint can be $75 now—every contribution amount truly matters and makes a difference.

This will be an incredible amount of work. But the results are going to be magnificent!

The preliminary scope of work includes these general categories:

Air Conditioning, Ventilation, and Dust Control: (Removal of equipment; tear out old plenums; rebuild new duct work; install secondary HVAC unit on east side with new floor venting system; research and install dust control systems.)

Kitchen (Monitor plumbing; refloat and paint walls and ceilings; repair cracked kitchen window; install new linoleum floor; add removable service panel for laundry; inspect all electric and lighting; replace appliances as needed; repair and repaint all millwork; add trap door in cabinet for plumbing access)

Bedroom/Bathroom (Build new flower floor to replace one that had to be ripped out during SNOVID; refloat and paint walls and ceilings; remove shower metal panels and re-insulate walls; inspect electric and reinsulate; repair malfunctioning sauna control; clean all hidden crawl spaces and seal against pest intrusion; redo lavatory plumbing; strip. paint, and caulk bedroom casement windows; repair and repaint all bookcases and millwork; repair sliding glass door track system; restore shower light fixtures)

Study (Design and build new archival cabinets; refloat and paint walls and ceilings; reinforce book shelves; strip. paint, and caulk bedroom casement windows; seal IT tunnel to studio)

Entry Hall (Restore antique Mexican doors; strip. paint, and caulk casement windows; inspect all electric; repair and repaint cabinetry and millwork; jack up subsiding corner; construct concrete pier and repair structure; refloat and paint walls and ceilings)

Dining Room (Restore window casement; refloat and paint walls and ceilings; inspect all electric

Living Room (Inspect fireplace chimney and seal for pest intrusion; refloat and paint walls and ceilings; build permanent version of mantel decoration; finish Kent Bloomer pilaster capitals; restore all shelves and millwork; install LED lighting; restore exterior door)

Opium Den (Refloat and paint walls and ceilings; print and mount new Nolli map of Rome; make new exterior window blind for UV and storm protection; restore pine platforms and floor; inspect all electric; restore all shelves and millwork)

Powder Room (Remove floor; address structural subsidence; redo plumbing; inspect all electric; restore window casement; restore tile floor with removable section for plumbing repair access)

Loft (Refloat and paint walls and ceilings; restore pine staircase; inspect all electric; rebuilt window casement; restore bed platform; restore millwork)

Attic (Thoroughly clean all crawl spaces and seal for pest intrusion; inspect all electric, refloat and paint walls and ceilings; replace floor; install lighting; reinsulate space above kitchen)

Floors (The floors of the house will be a major effort. We will need to carefully mill tongue-and-groove slats to match the 1930s originals for replacement of damaged pieces and sections. Transitions need to be re-milled and installed. The underlying floor structure will be inspected, leveled, and reinforced. The entire wood floor surface will be sanded and repainted with the giant geometric patterns. The concrete sections of the floor will be stripped of remnant paint; ground and sealed for moisture. We will study options for the best way to recreate the geometric patterns in these sections.)

Technology and Systems: (We will be researching systems for security; fire; humidity, ventilation, and dust control. All lighting, including shelf and collection lamps will be replaced with LED.)

Textiles (Pillow cases, Opium Den mattresses; and furniture cushions will be restored with vintage and ethnic textiles. New canvas yacht blinds will be made for all of the windows for UV control.)

Burns House Summer 2026 Projects

Santa Monica Canyon