Gallery Living

THE PROJECT

Behind the distinction.

This single-story courtyard house is centered around a cherished Australian tea tree, a beloved feature for the owner. Designed with the tree as a focal point, the layout wraps around it, creating a tranquil inner sanctum.

The kitchen, gallery-like hallway, primary suite and a small temple look out onto this courtyard which faces south and floods the home with light. The owner’s prodigious art collection informed the design of each space, with clerestories throughout helping define spaces and balance the natural light.

A display wall at the entry creates a transition between inside and out and helps create a designated dining room within an open plan. This wall begins the procession down the spine of the house, where polished concrete floors run seamlessly throughout—a crucial feature accommodating the owner’s wheelchair-bound daughter.

The design replaced two small cottages to make way for the new home, salvaging old-growth redwood boards from these original structures, which were carefully removed, sanded down and reused as accents throughout the new home. In-slab radiant heat and environmentally sensitive materials compliment the design aesthetic.
Despite its modest footprint of 2,450 square feet, the house efficiently accommodates four bedrooms and 4 ½ baths, integrating functionality with thoughtful design.