Grandview Residence
When the 1991 Oakland firestorm struck, we were in the process of remodeling a home for our clients. Gone with those flames were the old home’s limitations and everything our clients owned. From the ashes came the opportunity for something new, and the chance for us to help them rebuild their lives. A new site helped our clients disconnect from the past and embrace the future.
This 4,000 square foot home is a celebration of family and life. To incorporate our client’s strong spiritual ideals it was necessary to delve deeply into their hearts. They wanted to incorporate ideas from feng shui and geomancy, concepts we had worked with previously. While analyzing sun angles, we noted solar alignments on significant days in their lives. While studying the views and vegetation, we also traced energy flows and spiritually powerful zones within the site. As we began to layout the rooms and relate them to each other, we aligned them with sunsets on specific days and set angles related to spiritual energies.
The result is a home with meaning in every move. The sweep of the entry wall with its deep-set windows embraces the home, protecting it from the intrusions of the street. The curve continues in a carefully proportioned wave through the home, setting up key elements that define the interior spaces. An arc in the ceiling marks the invisible edge of the dining room. The sensual, snaking free standing kitchen cabinets split apart to offer glimpses of views and precious spots for new objects. The circular stair follows a natural energy flow, tying the family centers together. The body of the home finds its orientation in alignments to the husband’s birthday; the angle of the kitchen and master bath celebrates the wife’s sensual, nurturing nature and embraces the sunrise on her birthday; the master bed is aligned with sunset on their anniversary. Colors dance and play, celebrating their joys.
Colors are layered upon each other to define the forms and draw the eye. Materials are detailed to question normal assumptions. Steel curves and curls, glass waves, stone floats, and wood in unusual tones feels natural. The marble kitchen counters contrast the hand blown glass light fixtures and compliment the multi-colored cabinets and hand painted accent walls. In the master bath shaped layers of peach limestone float over lavender and celadon tinted cabinets matched to the green hues of glass sinks and tiles and lavender steel troweled plaster. Wood is finished in luminous, pearlized tones. Steel is hand molded into embracing forms. Glass is hand blown to glisten with light and color. Each material celebrates its nature and the highly skilled hands of the artisans who formed and finished it.
This 4,000 square foot home is a celebration of family and life. To incorporate our client’s strong spiritual ideals it was necessary to delve deeply into their hearts. They wanted to incorporate ideas from feng shui and geomancy, concepts we had worked with previously. While analyzing sun angles, we noted solar alignments on significant days in their lives. While studying the views and vegetation, we also traced energy flows and spiritually powerful zones within the site. As we began to layout the rooms and relate them to each other, we aligned them with sunsets on specific days and set angles related to spiritual energies.
The result is a home with meaning in every move. The sweep of the entry wall with its deep-set windows embraces the home, protecting it from the intrusions of the street. The curve continues in a carefully proportioned wave through the home, setting up key elements that define the interior spaces. An arc in the ceiling marks the invisible edge of the dining room. The sensual, snaking free standing kitchen cabinets split apart to offer glimpses of views and precious spots for new objects. The circular stair follows a natural energy flow, tying the family centers together. The body of the home finds its orientation in alignments to the husband’s birthday; the angle of the kitchen and master bath celebrates the wife’s sensual, nurturing nature and embraces the sunrise on her birthday; the master bed is aligned with sunset on their anniversary. Colors dance and play, celebrating their joys.
Colors are layered upon each other to define the forms and draw the eye. Materials are detailed to question normal assumptions. Steel curves and curls, glass waves, stone floats, and wood in unusual tones feels natural. The marble kitchen counters contrast the hand blown glass light fixtures and compliment the multi-colored cabinets and hand painted accent walls. In the master bath shaped layers of peach limestone float over lavender and celadon tinted cabinets matched to the green hues of glass sinks and tiles and lavender steel troweled plaster. Wood is finished in luminous, pearlized tones. Steel is hand molded into embracing forms. Glass is hand blown to glisten with light and color. Each material celebrates its nature and the highly skilled hands of the artisans who formed and finished it.
Country: United States
