Butler Residence floor plan
Because the architects wanted to showcase the view of one of the more majestic oaks on the property, they placed a lap pool below the tree so the mirror-like surface of the water would gracefully reflect its image.
To blur the line between indoors and outdoors, San Francisco–based Klopf Architecture integrated glass doors that organically separate the living area from the patio.
Megan Blossom and Reiko Igarashi completed the modern interior decor and styling, finding inspiration from the building's rich history. The designers retained much of the original character: the carved wooden handrail remains on the stair, wood trim and wainscot accent the walls, and original doors are re-purposed as custom millwork.
The result is an unpretentious summer house that "brings the focus of luxury back to being about experience and simplicity: the direct relation to nature, splashes of bright colors, or the sound of water falling on wood." Photo by Thomas Ibsen.
When current homeowner Joseph Amory purchased 3322 Ocotea Street in 2014, the 1959 residence’s midcentury plan had been corrupted. Undaunted, Amory enlisted In Situ Studio to modernize the 3,400-square-foot dwelling while preserving its midcentury roots.
