The Dias House

The Dias House was built in the 1950s by Mary and Manuel Dias and was part of the property that Robson Homes purchased for their Mission Heights neighborhood. Stylistically, the home is considered a blend of Modern and Ranch styles, and it stands out amongst the many stucco-clad homes built in the area in the 1950s. The home’s modern features can be attributed to the exterior color contrast between red clay roof and white block walls and the home’s broadly horizontal footprint. The rounded corners and hipped clay tile roof with exposed rafters are typical of this beloved style and served as inspiration for Robson Homes as they designed and built 24 new homes in the surrounding Mission Heights neighborhood.

As part of the home’s preservation, all exterior details and finishes were preserved or restored to match the historic original. The original clay roof tiles were removed, cleaned and reinstalled with new weatherproof underlayments. All exterior existing block walls remained intact while new interior walls were added to accommodate updates to the floor plan. The builder stayed within the existing square footage of the main house and added a detached 2-car garage with workshop. Original steel windows were removed, refurbished, and re-glazed with heavy duty glass and new hardware. The front porch, entry, and living room were preserved, while the rest of the house and detached garage were reconfigured and modernized to emphasize open concept living. The original fireplace was retained and restored allowing for its continued use as a wood-burning fireplace. The interior hardwood and finish carpentry were designed and crafted to emulate the original 1950’s character.