Oak steps lead to the loft bed.
The lava rock used for the steps was cut on a giant saw near Hilo. Craig finished assembling the staircase just in time for Zane’s one-year baby luau.
Another view of the deck.
Photography by Matthew Millman
The Sculpture Gallery in architect Philip Johnson’s Glass House Estate in New Canaan, Connecticut is a skylighted space with an almost entirely glass roof that showcases Johnson’s art collection.
Davor (with his wife, Abbe, and son, August) designed the main living and dining pavilion as a double-height space to increase its perceived volume, and added high cubbies for extra storage.
Bornstein and his daughter Velma sit at a table the architect designed himself; the dining chairs were designed by Arne Jacobsen for Fritz Hansen.
A minimal material palette of oiled yellow birch and oxidized steel gives the interiors a Japanese-inspired, Zen-like feel.
Passageways were carefully planned to present intriguing interior perspectives.
The Burkes eliminated glare by minimizing the number of windows on the east and west sides of their house. On the south, though, windows are taller and offer views of trees even though the house is in the heart of downtown Charlottesville. The direct light that enters through the flanks of the house is mediated via a sophisticated array of blinds, tints, a trellis calibrated to cut light from April through August, and several bald cypress trees that provide shade in summer but lose their leaves in winter, allowing light (and heat) to infuse the house. Baby cypress trees, about nine feet tall, should cost around $100 each at your local nursery.
In the outdoor dining room, wire chairs by Harry Bertoia for Knoll surround a mango wood table made by a local carpenter, Diego Madrazo.
Rather than opting for the schematic, open-plan design of the renovated Queensland worker's cottage, the formalized living, sitting, and dining areas are compartmentalized; each room is dedicated to their function.
Upon entering the house, one immediately sees right through to the rear garden from the main corridor.
In the new kitchen, oak timber veneer joinery unites concrete floors and counters.
The living room takes full advantage of the homes' stunning views.
Working within a tight footprint due to building restrictions, the two-story main building includes most of the bedrooms and communal spaces, with guest quarters placed in a separate structure.
Floor-to-ceiling glass walls on both sides of the main living room allow sweeping views straight through the house.
The flooring in the master bath is vein-cut Ocean Silver travertine. The custom bathroom vanity is stained birch, the polished chrome fixtures are from Hansgrohe’s Axor Uno2 line, and the chair is upholstered in Checker by Alexander Girard for Maharam.
Murren chose maintenance-free materials, such as Stepstone precast concrete pavers for exterior decks and river-rock-covered flat roofs. He recalls his neighbors’ astonishment and delight when “we went from a giant hole in the ground to a two-story house in just four days.”
The guesthouse has similar built-ins and is outfitted with a reproduction rotating sconce by Serge Mouille and rugs by Stephanie Odegard.
The courtyard-like composition, and the natural flow of light and air, provide the interiors with an indoor/outdoor feel.
Floating against birch paneling, the main stair incorporates treads salvaged from old barn wood.
Here, the cleverly planned living area may look small, but can sleep as many as four guests on two sleep sofas and a double Murphy bed on the other side of the partition.
The other centenarian fixtures in the home are the glass light shades in the kitchen. The shades originally hung in an old chapel. The brass bar was designed by the firm.
The Rush House at Sea Ranch followed the typical material palette of wood and glass; windows were located specifically so that they took advantage of views of the water and the surrounding landscape.
A peaceful corner of Casa Meleku.
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