This Gabled Home Mixes Old-World Charm With a Modern Material Palette
Partner Story
The beauty and charm of a period home, particularly the intriguing patina that materials can develop over time, is hard to capture in a new build—yet it was one of the characteristics that Diaz + Alexander Studio wanted to define a new family home they designed in Studio City, California. The four-bedroom home is a modern take on the French Chateau style, with a thoughtful mix of new and old materials—from antique French roof tiles, to heart oak timber flooring from Madera.
Mary Ellen House—named for the street it sits on—is defined by its characterful material palette and distinctive roofline. "The double-arch windows give the sharp A-frame lines a soft touch," explains architect Rob Diaz. The oak shutters and stucco finishes on the exterior hint at the interior palette, which celebrates Madera heart oak flooring throughout.
"While this is a new build, it has an old charm to it," explains architect Rob Diaz, principal at Diaz + Alexander Studio. "Our palette was a blend of Southern California warmth with a big splash of European influence."
The home has a double-gabled roof, which not only gives it a striking form but allows for the bedrooms on the top floor to be separated by a central hallway for privacy. Arched windows and entrances are a motif used throughout to soften the geometric forms and imbue a sense of elegance.
The interior scheme is defined by clean lines and soft textiles that add warmth. Architect Rob Diaz also highlights the "killer lighting from some of the best in the business," including Apparatus Studio, Allied Maker, and vintage pieces from 1st Dibs and Blackman Cruz.
The interior plays with this same tension between clean lines and softer details. It is defined by clay-rendered walls and impressive swathes of oak flooring, complemented by sumptuous textiles and sculptural lighting. "The oak flooring stood alone," says Diaz of the decision to use a "live" grade, which celebrates the raw, natural beauty of the timber. "Our choices helped to highlight the handsome flooring."
"We wanted the floors to shine and pull back from a busy design," explains architect Rob Diaz. "I’ve worked with Madera for years and they simply have the best flooring for our style. The flooring is stunning and did not go unnoticed. It was money well spent."
The oak floor was sourced from Madera, a design and fabrication firm founded in Brooklyn in 2012 that utilizes the medium of wood for innovation and creative expression. To build the detailed flooring spec, the Diaz + Alexander Studio team visited the brand’s L.A. showroom numerous times and worked closely with Madera’s in-house design team and shop—particularly on the design of the stairs, which feature 13-inch stair treads that match the wide-plank flooring.
Madera produced 14-inch-wide heart oak timber flooring in up to 24-foot lengths for the large first floor, which includes a kitchen and dining area that spans nearly 40 feet. The brand’s reputation for high-quality timber flooring is driven by its "forest to floor" approach, which allows them to oversee every aspect of the process, from the cutting of the oak at the partner mill in Bavaria, to the installation.
"These oak floors are 14 inches wide and between six- and 24-foot long," says Daniel Clason-Höök, Managing Partner and Owner of Madera. "That by itself is quite something! The grade is a unique blend of center cut and heart oak known as select live sawn."
"Rob and his team wanted to highlight the natural beauty of wood so instead of going with a prime grade selection—which is common these days—they specified live grade, a dynamic cut that embraces the natural beauty of the oak tree," says Daniel Clason-Höök, Managing Partner and Owner of Madera. "This cut and grade tells the full story of the tree with articulated center cracks, rift and quarter edges and an overall dynamic look."
An enormous steel-framed skylight floods the upstairs hallway space and emphasizes the beauty of the natural grain in the oak flooring. "It’s one of my favorite moments of the project," says architect Rob Diaz.
The arched mirror in the en suite bathroom evokes the arched windows and entrance that define the exterior of the home.
The oak flooring creates a clean backdrop for the rest of the interior scheme, which celebrates layered textures, vibrant splashes of color, and sumptuous textiles. In the sitting room, emerald green walls and oak paneling set the scene for luxury living.
Outside, the clean lines of the smooth Santa Barbara stucco and the slender, steel-framed windows and doors are complemented by antique French roof tiles. Character and texture is added through the traditional filetti-style cobblestones, limestone walls, and oak shutters that echo the Madera oak flooring inside.
In the guesthouse, the kitchen features oak joinery, walls, and ceiling that echo the use of oak flooring throughout the main home. The stone floor adds to the old charm of the material palette.
The timeless appeal of Mary Ellen House was key to its success, as it was developed by Diaz + Alexander Studio to sell on the open market. Unsurprisingly, it quickly sold to a family of four who were enchanted by the play between old and new. "Mary Ellen House was a big moment for me and my company," says Diaz. "I am so proud of the finished home."
Mary Ellen House features large open garden spaces in both front and rear, offering plenty of scope for entertaining. A spacious guest house is positioned in front of the pool.
Oak floors: Madera
Photographer: Todd Goodman
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