Trends New Zealand NZ New Home Trends Vol. 30/4 | Page 94

Above: Clerestory windows optimise
sunlight penetration and views
to the hill behind. Concrete slab
construction under the elm flooring
provides passive heat exchange to
keep the house cool in summer.
Right: The kitchen, positioned at the
corner of the home, is designed to
extend the natural material palette,
with countertops in Madre Perla
granite. In the mild Californian
climate, indoor-outdoor flow was an
integral aspect of the design.

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The focus on sustainability extends indoors,
with locally milled reclaimed elm on the floor
and walls. These warm wood surfaces are interwoven with white paint finishes in a way that
accentuates the raised roof forms.
“Pitched to follow the hillside, the ceilings
call to mind the home’s very special, dramatic
setting,” says Haesloop.
Next to the garage at one end of the house,
the understated front door opens to the upper
level. From here, there is a clear view down a
passageway to the master suite at the other
end. An external balcony bites into the volume,
corresponding to the roofs and creating a degree
of separation between the kitchen and dining
area and the living spaces.
Downstairs, the second level accommodates
two studies and two guest bedrooms.
Margaret Turnbull says the open interiors
are finished to flow with the architecture.
“The furniture is comfortable, simple and
grounded, in black, cream and green tones that
reflect the environment.”
The interiors also offer some surprises, with
dramatic artworks acquired by the owners on
their travels prominently displayed. Coffee
tables in the living room were chosen by Turnbull and are reminiscent of lilypads – another
reference to the natural world.
“The kitchen, on an outer corner of the
home, is also finished in subtle, earthy hues.
And while external shades mitigate the impact
of the sun on the interior, these were reduced
in this area to facilitate clear views to Mount
Tamalpais directly across the valley,” she says.
Haesloop says it is exhilarating to walk from
the side of the house that nestles into the hillside across the interior to the front deck, which
is suspended high above the valley.
“The design of this house was driven by its
setting and also by the dedication of its owners,
who were involved every step of the way.”

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