HUF HAUS GmbH u. Co.KG

photo credit to Meredith Russell of Paperwhite http://www.paperw.com

Colorful playroom / media room with striped carpet and gray trim

Vue de la cuisine vers la terrasse

Remplacement de l'escalier à l'entrée par un escalier plus contemporain posé sur un meuble de rangement bas mise en valeur du mur avec un aplat de couleur et luminaires en applique

“Compelling.” That’s how one of our judges characterized this stair, which manages to embody both reassuring solidity and airy weightlessness. Architect Mahdad Saniee specified beefy maple treads—each laminated from two boards, to resist twisting and cupping—and supported them at the wall with hidden steel hangers. “We wanted to make them look like they are floating,” he says, “so they sit away from the wall by about half an inch.” The stainless steel rods that seem to pierce the treads’ opposite ends are, in fact, joined by threaded couplings hidden within the thickness of the wood. The result is an assembly whose stiffness underfoot defies expectation, Saniee says. “It feels very solid, much more solid than average stairs.” With the rods working in tension from above and compression below, “it’s very hard for those pieces of wood to move.” The interplay of wood and steel makes abstract reference to a Steinway concert grand, Saniee notes. “It’s taking elements of a piano and playing with them.” A gently curved soffit in the ceiling reinforces the visual rhyme. The jury admired the effect but was equally impressed with the technical acumen required to achieve it. “The rhythm established by the vertical rods sets up a rigorous discipline that works with the intricacies of stair dimensions,” observed one judge. “That’s really hard to do.”

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

A stunning 16th Century listed Queen Anne Manor House with contemporary Sky-Frame extension which features stunning Janey Butler Interiors design and style throughout. The fabulous contemporary zinc and glass extension with its 3 metre high sliding Sky-Frame windows allows for incredible views across the newly created garden towards the newly built Oak and Glass Gym & Garage building. When fully open the space achieves incredible indoor-outdoor contemporary living. A wonderful project designed, built and completed by Riba Llama Architects & Janey Butler Interiors of the Llama Group of Design companies.

Le rez-de-chaussée de la cuisine prend la forme d’un L. L’entrée donne d’abord sur la salle à manger et la cuisine, ensuite viennent l’escalier et le salon. Ce grand espace accueille donc plusieurs fonctions. Dans l’entrée, un grand placard miroité permet de ranger un maximum d’affaires. Un canapé d’appoint permet de se déchausser confortablement. Sur les étagères murales, plusieurs vides poches permettent de ranger les clés et autres petits bazars. Un papier-peint à motif hexagonal, une peinture « bleu cristallin », quelques coussins, une horloge murale et deux dame-jeanne viennent donner une identité à la pièce. Côté salle à manger, la table peut se déployer pour accueillir plus de convives. Le bahut permet de ranger la jolie vaisselle. Le tapis en pvc est facilement nettoyable et vient structurer l’espace.

Aurélien Vivier

Isle of Mull Cottages

Tiphaine Thomas

Don Weixl Photography