Loft / half floor room

What are some places the children's and parents' needs dovetail in the design? There was a lot of concern about minimizing clutter. There's acres of cabinetry to put things away. I think that helps to keep the kids calm. Clutter is really hard on autistic kids. Being able to keep things clean seems to really help. This place had to be user-friendly for the kids, parents, and tutors.

At a home about half an hour from Lake Tahoe, architect Jack Hawkins and interior designer Cheryl Chenault built a house that would support their clients’ unique requirements in a home that would be 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. In the kitchen, two islands, one in the shape of an L and the other a smaller rectangular island, are layered table over one portion create generous space to spread out. Norman Cherner barstools from Design Within Reach line the island in the kitchen, which is crowned by an open loft office. The faucets are from Dornbracht; the countertops are Caesarstone. Hawkins integrated a steel-clad casual eating nook, at left.

The mezzanine was extended by 130 square feet and now holds a study organized by Rakks shelves.

The renovation features a pulpit-like mezzanine that overlooks the main living space. This new cantilevered structure creates a focused central nucleus for the home.

Built-in shelving under the stairs to the mezzanine level provides the resident with extra storage.

Raymond takes a break on the master bedroom’s interior balcony, which is cantilevered over the dining area.

White paint was chosen to make the interiors brighter, along with matte-white appliances and light-toned woods like Lauan plywood and Japanese ash.

Upstairs, there’s a second-floor office and work by the homeowners’ daughter, artist Kat Marais.

The lofted bedroom remains open to the living area, lit by a window seat and opaque clerestory windows.