Stairs

A good dose of inspiration from Luis Barragán turned a dark and beleaguered midcentury house into a family home for the ages. The paint colors chosen by the residents and architect Linda Taalman are American Cheese and Blushing Bride, both by Benjamin Moore, creating a tapestry of color and texture.

A window nook and window out to the green evidence the highly efficient floor plan that leaves no corner untouched in its functionality.

The screen was fabricated by the contractor O’Brien Wood & Iron. "I like this treatment because it’s so dynamic," says Jocie. "It acts as a separator, but it does have some transparency and visibility with it." The existing red oak floors in this room were stripped and bleached to more closely match the new white oak stairs and floors.

The new stair configuration creates a circulation core. A custom red-cedar screen knits the floors together.

The vintage credenza once belonged to the architect’s grandmother, and the framed drawing on the right is by Graham’s mother, artist MJ Levy-Dickson.

In the dining room, a collection of new and old lives side by side: a table and paper lamp by HAY, vintage Breuer Cesca chairs from Jocie’s grandmother, and a painting by artist Carly Wilhelm.

At the base of the first floor landing, black recinto volcanic stones divide the first floor’s informal dining area from the living room. This floor also features a bedroom and kitchen while the floor above holds a master bedroom, master bath, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an entertainment room, and patio. The stairs—which are all-oak—descend to a ground-floor playroom and outdoor deck.

A close up detail of the built-in bookcase at the top landing of the stair. This photo shows how 1/8" reveals are used to subtly express how the individual pieces are joined on site.

The staircase works as a visual transition from the cozy first level to the more modern second floor. When standing downstairs, the staircase pulls away from the dark anchoring floorboards with angled steel beams, stainless steel cables, and wood caps. “It’s thin and light so that it wouldn’t impede connection to the first floor,” says Michael. “It’s meant to be pretty modern, but the wood cap softens the look a little, and makes the experience of touching the railing softer.”

The architects divided the home into separate floors for sleeping, living, and working. Since the house is situated on a hill that slopes 20 feet from top to bottom, there are plenty of stairs. Those pictured above were crafted using wood salvaged from a 100-year-old bungalow that previously stood on the site.

White-oak stairs connect the first-floor living spaces with the upstairs sleeping areas.