Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Up at the Villa

Home to architect John O'Neill and currently the market for $4,650,000 this Laguna Beach house is a masterpiece of California Tuscan design. My favorite part of the house is how it seems to erupt from the hillside. It is perfectly aligned so that every terrace, exterior wall, and loggia are at one with the natural slope of the land.
The gate is monumental and I enjoy its rough hewn elements. The wooden beams above the gate add a provincial feeling that I love. I just has a very old world feeling that suits the house.
I have always been drawn to dinning rooms that 1. have a refectory table, their long, slim, simple lines seem very honest and humble, however their sheer size and setting make up for that. 2. The idea of having books in the dinning room seems very casual and still very formal. It reminds me of sitting down to eat at Oxford or some other ancient place of learning.
The provincial theme of the house is carried through in the kitchen beautifully. I like the sequestered feeling it has but I hope it is not too terribly cut off from the rest of the house.
I have yet too see wall mounted fixtures in person but i find them very pleasing. They are a wonderfully unique addition to any bathroom. For more information please visit this post by Things That Inspire.
The medieval qualities of this bed are beautiful. I never understood the need for a full canopy bed here in California, however I get why you would need one in the harsh winters of Europe.
Very Monastic. AWESOME.
I've always wanted to gravel somewhere in my yard. It just seems to add so much more texture and life to a garden.
Couldn't you just imagine seeing this house overlooking Florence? I think it is one of the best examples of true provincial style in the county. There is nothing opulent or extremely luxurious about this house, however, this house displays true craftsmanship and a pride of ownership that translates into understated elegance.

2 comments:

  1. I think the bigger the room and particularly the higher the ceiling, the more you "need" a canopy bed.

    There are a few ideas in "A Pattern Language" relating to the canopy bed. From Pattern 188 "the bed itself becomes a tiny private haven."

    And from pattern 187: "...At the right moment in a couple's life, it is important that they make for themselves a special bed - an intimate anchor point for their lives; slightly enclosed, with a low ceiling or a canopy,..."

    There is a bit more in Pattern 135 "Couples Realm" and 190 "Ceiling Height Variety"

    Anyway the patterns help me understand in my head what my instincts tell about these places.

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  2. Beautiful house. I love Laguna Beach so much - my favorite place in the world.

    Thank you for the mention! My favorite posts are the ones that cause my readers to see and notice things in a new way (and think about my blog when they see them!).

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