West-coast modern house offers material drama

The West Coast Modern style can have a significant impact on the decor of a house, with the sculptural angles and planes of the building affecting the interior design. However, while the planar walls and high ceilings defer to the outlooks, they also make for a great art gallery environment.

Architect Brad Lamoureux has given this West Coast Modern residence a light, transparent feel. The open-plan layout and floor-to-ceiling windows, which are butt-glazed so the corners of the building appear to dissolve, both play their part.

At the entrance, all surfaces floor, walls and ceiling run from outdoors to indoors, blurring the line between the two and creating visual momentum.

The open design, both horizontally and between floors, floods light through the restful interiors, says Lamoureux.

"These contrast pale limestone floors and pristine white walls with a Chilton Castle rock spine wall and the natural warmth of the figured walnut millwork. The wood features a horizontal pattern chosen to echo the home's orientation."

The material palette of stone, wood, concrete and glass is adhered to in several ways. Jerusalem Bone limestone on the floors is repeated on the stair treads at the building core and on the vanity countertop in the master bedroom. The walnut veneer that features in the entry is repeated on all millwork, including the kitchen cabinetry and bathroom cabinets.

"We wanted the interiors to be as clean and unfussy as possible. For example, all trims and doorjambs in the house are flush with the wall planes," says Lamoureux.

The furniture and soft furnishings in the home follow a similar principle to the hard fit-out muted hues are teamed with wood tones. Again these take a back seat to the outlooks. Large rugs quietly denote areas of use within the open-plan spaces.

Lamoureux says while the house is West Coast Modern, the furniture is both contemporary and comfortable a look associated with the classic Modern style.

"The color palette is as restrained as the use of materials, with the owner's significant art collection providing color highpoints. The expansive canvases bring final balance to the spaces, and also lead the eye across the interiors."

The pale colors of the furniture in the formal areas give way to darker tones and even softer pieces in the family room. An ornate, curvaceous mirror in the master bathroom marks an organic departure from clean lines, much like the many paintings and sculpture.

Story by: Charles Moxham

Photography by: Ed White