The pool and surrounding landscape connect the architecture with the wooded park just beyond the yard. “We used the softer textures of ornamental grasses, Japanese maples, and perennial plantings to balance the rectilinear lines of the pool and the house,” says Josh Myers of Myers + Co. Landscape Architecture.
Homeowner and interior designer Julie Crosby worked with developer Soheil Nakhshab to transform a rundown midcentury property in the coastal Del Mar neighborhood of San Diego. The 5,400-square-foot, four-bedroom residence incorporates a natural palette and tall windows.
A steel brise-soleil in the hallway by the stairwell highlights the play of shadow and light as the sun moves. The stair is made from the same fallen silk oak tree as the dining table. Using this found timber not only created a relationship with the site, but helped to control the budget.
The most costly parts of the build were the board-formed concrete walls and fireplace. “We believe it was worth spending the money here for a few reasons,” reveals architect Cavin Costello. “The mass anchors the house into the landscape, and the material is incredibly durable—something we need in the harsh desert sun. The board-forms give the home a wonderful character.”
Floor Plan of Ridge House by Henrybuilt
The Hijau stone swimming pool finish from Palimanan.
The design team retained the old supports, which now frame the kitchen. Jessica picked DeVol cabinets and systems for their traditional-meets-streamlined style.
"The owner wanted the front door to match the same yellow of Caterpillar, the heavy machinery company,
After an unprecedented year of earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires, a bright light has been shed on the benefits of building with concrete.
A bath with a view in the master bedroom.
Recycled Altrock work surfaces and larch cabinetry define the kitchen design.
60's classic furniture combined with modern lighting in the dining area flows on through to the living area, ensuring, at all times, one has a view of the ocean and the headland.
Modern larch interior woodwork combines with retro furniture and lighting pieces.
Now, a picture window frames the views into the garden, and a tall glass and steel door accesses the backyard.
The firm’s goal was not to erase the existing home, but to "strengthen the initial intent of the architecture," says StudioFour director Sarah Henry. "The existing external brick language was identified as a strength to the original design. We wanted to build on this strength and let the architectural language bleed inside to inform the interiors." The external brickwork has been rendered with a tinted sand render, color-matched to Porter’s Paints ‘River Stone.’
Architect Line Solgaard, founder of the eponymous Oslo- and Fredrikstad-based firm, designed a getaway for her family in the place where she grew up. Untreated, exposed concrete pairs with cedar cladding; custom, oak-paneled ceilings; and a glass roof in the center of the home that opens like a sunroof for natural ventilation.
In 2009 on a quiet Los Angeles corner, Mel Elias found a severely water-damaged, crumbling 5,000-square-foot house hidden behind a tangle of overgrown vegetation. Its former owner, the late Hollywood acting coach Milton Katselas, had filled his property with industrial skylights and enormous, wood-burning fireplaces. The glass-and-concrete construction was framed by high ceilings, rusted steel beams, and varied elevations across the single-story plan. Thanks to an 11-year long, multiphase renovation by designer Carter Bradley, the home—with all of its quirks and character—shines again.
Risa Boyer Architecture guided the whole house remodel of this 1955 Portland home. Lillyvilla Gardens executed a new landscape plan for the property, including this updated entry sequence, while Boyer added more glass to suit the midcentury façade.
The architect and owners were in sync on every aspect of the design, including the desire for shou sugi ban siding. “I had been interested in shou sugi ban for a long time,” Herrmann says. “These Japanese cypress boards have been charred, wire-brushed, stained, and oiled. We did a lot of testing to come up with the right dark grey color; it changes in the light.”
Toward the back of the home, a quiet resting area opens up to a spacious, covered patio.
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