Todd Sussman (left) and Melanie Ryan in the Los Angeles home they designed themselves.
Built from the ground up in the neighborhood of Echo Park, in Los Angeles, the 1,560-square-foot home of consultant Melanie Ryan and architect Todd Sussman, cofounders of design studio Open for Humans, is a work of love and dedication. Though it felt like a big challenge, building a house from a design to its full form, the final product has become both their personal refuge and workspace.
âOnce we began our search for land, we decided on two must-haves,â Todd says: anti-isolation and views. Although tempted, Todd and Melanie steered clear of more remote hillside lots, instead aiming for something that provided more connection with a community and walkability. Plus, coming from Florida where they were surrounded by miles of at-sea-level terrain, they were drawn to something with elevation.