"We added a different finish to every function," explains Otten. "In this way, we tried to suggest that the different parts of the kitchen are dating from different building periods and the construction had been growing continuously."
"Often, architects tend to think that if they use a lot of expensive materials such as marble, they make a good design. I also like to work with nice natural materials but mostly I have to deal with limited budgets. So we first consider a good functioning design in the existing interior. Afterward, we see what materials we can add to give a certain character to the project within the budget of the client. But bespoke furniture never comes cheap. In this case, for example, we used the 3mm thick peg-board, glued on black MDF and then painted it."
The kitchen, which is meant "not to look like a kitchen" is composed of art deco-inspired shapes, such as this bold, red circular form that Otten created to wrap an ordinary range hood. Even the oven is hidden behind the custom cabinets.
In the kitchen the designers paired ancient Sicilian decorated tiles with a refreshed, modern layout.
A small galley kitchen is built into the larger of the two prefabricated pod volumes.
The bright orange tone of the front door matches the color of the accent wall in the living room, connecting the exterior and the interior of the ADU.
The kitchen opens directly onto the dining room; the 1954 article in Good Housekeeping noted that the dining room was separated from the walled garden by large sliding glass doors, "uniting indoors and out."
Architectural elements like coffered ceilings and columns were added to the dining room to give the space the charm and character that is usually associated with older homes.
"It was a malfunctioning bathroom that led them to first reach out," recalls Eng-Goetz. "I think this is often the case with renovations—a malfunction such as a leaking plumbing fixture prompts one to think, ‘What else could be improved?’ and before you know it, a whole-house renovation is underway."
In addition to adding a master bath where the covered balcony had been, JHID gave the master bedroom a moody green hue and a distinctive sense of style.
A consistent vocabulary of cherry casework is used throughout the house, including the kitchen.
The upstairs bathroom features a shower nook with a skylight. “You can look out and see palm trees,” Kuo says.
Custom cabinets in a mix of white oak and lacquered paint join Miele appliances and a honed quartz countertop.