Luxury Life & Style

concept and collaboration The home’s elegant simplicity is emblematic of Starr’s designs. of the house is repeated in the Douglas fir ceilings, while the light-hued furnishings with celadon accents add a gentle texture and warmth to the space. Although the sightlines offer views of the entire length of the plan, the subtle shifting of volumes creates complexity and corners that beckon to be explored. The John Street Residence is undoubtedly a sophisticated space, and yet it is also a comfortable playground for the children in the family. This kid-friendly theme is evident everywhere, from the garden path that circles the trunk of an old tree that leads to flower beds where the family’s little girl plants herbs and sunflowers, to the game and screening room on the house’s lower level, to the comfortable seating that appears at every turn. Starr discusses, with evident pleasure, the detailing that he creates to suit the specific requests of his clients. He created in each of the children’s rooms a secret space, accessible only to them. In the daughter’s room, a mural painted by a local artist sets the scene for an island adventure, while behind a waterfall, created by layers of fabric, she can steal away to a private boudoir that is replete with vanity table and petite crystal chandelier. Next door in the boy’s room, one would never notice that the bookshelf that sits flush to the wall is in fact a secret passage to a windowed space with a loft where he is master of his own domain. Starr’s intention was to create as much of an open feeling as possible, allowing seamless transitions between the interior and the exterior and capturing the free-flowing sense of the beach just beyond. The pool is an oasis, replete with a palapa-like deck and waterfall, inspired by the client’s travels in Mexico. Entering the house, one finds a sanctuary of light and water and air that is hidden from the outside world. The owners of the house wanted the easy open feel of tropical architecture, which often features shelter without walls. They required a sophisticated and elegant space for their family’s daily routine that was private, open, casual and comfortable with rooms that were appropriate for entertaining. The owner interviewed many design firms and had a specific sense of what the space should feel like and how it should function, but didn’t have an exact picture of the shape that the space would take. Jonathan Starr “just got it”. He was able to listen to the concerns, requests, and inspirations of his client and translate those dreams into form. • DESIGNER: Jonathan Starr Starr Design Group 310-376-6997 starr-design.com CONTRACTOR: Alan Lieberman Red River Contracting 30 Luxury Life & Style July/August 2008 starr-design.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Luxury Life & Style

Editor's Letter Carte Blanche Home The Arts Seen in the South Bay Give Drive Spotlight Feature Seen in the South Bay Travel Dine Real Estate Coda

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.