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Designer Gives a New Home Midcentury-Inspired Style
See how board-formed concrete walls, white oak built-ins and expansive windows make this California home come to life
Designer Pamela Pennington says that these homeowners were craving an architectural change when it came to their new house in Los Altos, California. “Their old home was very transitional in style,” she says. “They wanted their new space to be streamlined but warm, with lots of different textures throughout.” The newly built house has a minimalist palette, including wood-clad structures, an abundance of glass and board-formed concrete accent walls. “Our palette supported these simple organic finishes with custom stained wood floors, custom veneer cabinets, and tiles with subtle textures and patterns,” Pennington says.
Photos by Eric Zepeda
House at Glance
Who lives here: A family with two teenage boys
Location: Los Altos, California
Size: About 3,000 square feet (279 square meters)
Designers: Pamela Pennington of Pamela Pennington Studios and Arcanum Architecture
A flagstone walkway leads to the pivoting front door made of dark-stained wood. A paneled overhang provides protection from the elements and space for overhead lighting. Wide-plank oak floors with a clear stain run through most of the house.
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House at Glance
Who lives here: A family with two teenage boys
Location: Los Altos, California
Size: About 3,000 square feet (279 square meters)
Designers: Pamela Pennington of Pamela Pennington Studios and Arcanum Architecture
A flagstone walkway leads to the pivoting front door made of dark-stained wood. A paneled overhang provides protection from the elements and space for overhead lighting. Wide-plank oak floors with a clear stain run through most of the house.
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Directly to the right of the front door is an alcove with a floating bench in white oak veneer, which the family uses to put on and take off shoes. Pennington covered the back wall of the alcove in a textural gray wallpaper. Five matte black coat hooks provide a spot for coats, umbrellas and bags.
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The large open family room includes a number of midcentury architectural features, such as the clerestory windows and post-and-beam ceiling. All of the contemporary furniture in the house is new, but the artwork was collected by the homeowners over the years. The wall to the left of the fireplace is board-formed concrete and includes a large niche designed to display art.
The gas fireplace features a custom facade made of thin dark-stained wood slats. The inset flat-screen TV above the fireplace has a stainless steel panel underneath to protect it from heat.
The gas fireplace features a custom facade made of thin dark-stained wood slats. The inset flat-screen TV above the fireplace has a stainless steel panel underneath to protect it from heat.
The home’s stylish powder room includes a brass LED pendant light, and the inset vanity mirror has strips of hidden LED lights at the top and bottom. Pennington and her team covered the vanity wall in thin brown glass tiles that mimic the look of tree bark. The sink fixtures are unlacquered brass that will develop a patina over time.
The light-filled dining room includes a large window surrounded by custom white oak veneer built-ins for loads of storage. The dining table is a custom piece with a top made of stained wood and a strip of burnished metal. Six gray leather chairs from Italy surround the table and a sculptural LED chandelier hangs above.
A stairwell on the other side of the dining room features floor-to-ceiling wood slats that provide a dramatic visual backdrop and another architectural nod to midcentury design.
A wall of sliding doors open up the dining room to the backyard, where a meandering flagstone walkway weaves through plantings and a water feature made of lava rock.
The homeowners wanted the kitchen to be a bright and inviting space to start their day, so Pennington and her team didn’t use any dark-stained wood, instead going with white oak cabinetry. The island features a waterfall-edge countertop in white quartz.
For dramatic contrast to the white oak, the designer added matte black cabinet pulls, a pair of blackened metal pendant lights and a custom vent hood of cold-rolled steel.
The backsplash behind the gas cooktop features small dimensional white tiles. “Everything is about textures in this home; the small white tiles add another layer of texture to the space,” Pennington says.
The backsplash behind the gas cooktop features small dimensional white tiles. “Everything is about textures in this home; the small white tiles add another layer of texture to the space,” Pennington says.
A custom built-in breakfast banquette in the corner of the kitchen is awash in natural light. It features a striped fabric back and a white leather seat. A modern Nelson pendant light above the table completes the scene.
The master bedroom features a white oak paneled ceiling and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows. Pleated sheers filter light and provide privacy.
The antique stool in front of the bed is the one piece of antique furniture the homeowners wanted to include from their previous home.
The antique stool in front of the bed is the one piece of antique furniture the homeowners wanted to include from their previous home.
A pass-through closet separates the master bedroom and master bath, its floor-to-ceiling built-ins of white oak providing ample storage. “We used many of the same materials throughout the house to help connect the different rooms and provide a cohesive vision,” Pennington says.
The master bathroom includes large-format ceramic floor tiles that mimic the look of concrete. The double vanity is white oak with matte black pulls. The walls around the vanity are board-formed concrete.
The walk-in shower includes a handheld shower head and a rainfall shower head, both in matte black. The shower surround is covered in white porcelain tiles. Two custom shower niches provide storage for toiletries.
More on Houzz
Your Guide to Midcentury Style
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Browse porcelain wall tiles
The walk-in shower includes a handheld shower head and a rainfall shower head, both in matte black. The shower surround is covered in white porcelain tiles. Two custom shower niches provide storage for toiletries.
More on Houzz
Your Guide to Midcentury Style
Find an interior designer near you
Browse porcelain wall tiles
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