Infused with traditional materials and aesthetics, this open-plan home in Japan strengthens the bond a young family has to nature and to each other.
Photo by Derek Swalwell
The multicolored cushions were designed by Acuña and fabricated by Viviana Cortes.
On one side of the house, a white central staircase leads to a split-level landing the Robertsons call "the reading room." "We needed a place to hang out and for the kids to read," explains owner Vivi Nguyen-Robertson. Awaiting the birth of the couple's son, she relaxes in a built-in reading nook in the library.
The sunken living room is just one of many grade changes inside the structure. “We were adamant that we didn’t want something domestic,” says Andrew. “We wanted something surprising, that was hyper-animated, and that, when you moved through it, changed all the time.” The sofa, designed by the couple and Levenbetts, is upholstered in cotton velvet. The Habibi side tables are by Philipp Mainzer for e15, the fireplace tools by Fort Standard, and the doors by Fleetwood.
“There’s a ‘matter of factness’ to the detailing,” says architect Sarah Lorenzen. “You see this in the LVL beams, and the chain-link fence—very much like you’d see in a skate park—that forms the handrails and the fence for the exterior.” She likens this use of materials to the work of the L.A. School of Architecture in the 1970s and ’80s. “Architects, like Frank Gehry, had a real interest in how materials fit together, but not in a precious way,” she says.
The handmade tiles used to clad the wet areas are by Heath Ceramics. “It was definitely a splurge,” says architect Peter Tolkin. “I thought that there would be something very powerful about having these colorful, enclosed volumes. It’s almost like being inside of a ceramic vessel.”
“There was a notion that the floor and walls could be neutral surfaces, except for these very colorful rooms, and that would really help to make it feel like it’s the art that's the thing that you actually see,” says Tolkin. “When you put art on a more neutral surface, it tends to pop out and it’s very visible.” This section of the gallery features a painting by the client, Cathie Partridge.
The dining and living room volume features an eclectic mix of furniture and opens up to an outdoor terrace that encourages engagement with the site and the trees. The circular artwork in this space is by Manny Farber.
The entire kitchen wall by Lignum Cabinets is made from laminates and features functional peg board-like shelving above the sink, allowing it to be customized to the homeowner's needs.
This kitchen is outfitted with concrete counters and floors and off-grid-friendly low-energy appliances. The ceiling is paneled in reclaimed barn wood.
Beach, hills, and flatlands vibes all swirl together in architect Clive Wilkinson's Los Angeles home, where guests are greeted with a laser-cut metal stair railing. Situated on a steeply sloping site, the distinctive structure lends itself to a living attic, pool deck, and garden terrace, mixing elements like low-slung Italian furniture and oak flooring. Bright green makes a splash in the kitchen, which is tucked underneath Douglas fir rafters.
The kitchen of this renovated apartment in Rome dramatically puts a deep veined marble for the counters and backsplash against the dark millwork.
This lakeside home in Quebec boasts a white kitchen with an elegant, white marble backsplash that adds just a touch of pizzazz to an otherwise simple and minimalist open kitchen.
The kitchen of this Brooklyn brownstone was updated with a white Carrara backsplash that frames the Bertazzoni range and Dunsmuir cabinetry, providing a white background that makes the Matte-black quartzite kitchen island pop.
Concreteworks countertops, a Wolf range, Kallista sink, and Boffi faucet also fill the space.
The stove was kept in place in order to retain the position of the gas and venting. The designer dropped the sill on the right-side window to the floor. Sleek black cabinetry is topped with Essastone Concrete Pezzato weathered stone on the perimeter, and custom terrazzo on the island.
Laney LA selected pure white quartzite for the kitchen countertops—and the veining matches the cracks in the floor. Aleks and Erica embraced the imperfections that come with concrete flooring, and they like how it contrasts with the white walls.