Rooms that Bring the Outdoors In

Architects Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena’s design may be strict in its layout and proportion, but it lends itself to casual living.

The Lai family—Mayuko, baby Shota on her lap, David, Maya, and Yumi sitting on a cushion on the deck—relaxes in their indoor-outdoor living space, made by opening the glass sliding doors to connect the living room and engawa deck.

At night, subtle light fixtures provide soft ambient light. The lights “as discrete as possible, and aimed at the surfaces of the house, defining space and creating the kind of three dimensional modeling that is easy for the eye to interpret,” Snyder says. “It is relaxing, calming, provides plenty of light to live, and as much as possible eliminates visible bright hot spots or illuminated fixtures that call attention to themselves.”

In the living room are a sectional by American Leather for Room & Board, an Eames lounge chair and ottoman, and a custom floor lamp and coffee table by Jeremy Clark and Ed Haynes.

Stretching the length of the family space are more skylights, which lessen the residents' reliance on electric lighting throughout the day. In the living and dining room areas, walls of sliding glass panels open to two courtyards.