Design in the Age of Redefinition
THE NEW ESTATE
Photography by R. BRADLEY KNIPSTEIN Written by KEVIN B. MARKS
The Dining Room provides ample seating for family gatherings and business meetings alike. Our designers selected luxurious materials for the walls that elevate the design beyond the usual and expected . Infinity Chandelier by John Pomp, Linc-Less Wallmount Sconce by Urban Electric Company, Dining Table and Chairs by Kravet, Hector Grand Mosaic Wall Tiles by New Ravenna with gold grout, Rondelle Drapery by Kravet.
It’s no secret that recent history has pushed and challenged our definitions of work, family, and home. It’s a colossal understatement to say that we’ll be perpetually reckoning with these concepts for quite a while. Perhaps we’ll all look back on this moment and discover that it was a literal Age of Redefinition, where nearly nothing we thought we knew remained the same. For this Mediterranean villa in Los Altos Hills, a shift in design perspective and philosophy necessitated the achievement of a particularly grand result—an estate befitting the Age of Redefinition.
The client and homeowner—a prominent venture capitalist—sought to blur the definition of work and home life by imagining a property that could support the intricacies of both business and family at a singular address. For Julie Cavanaugh, Principal Designer and Founder of Design Matters, the task at hand was to design a home interior that didn’t feel schizophrenic—to create an environment that redefined work and home, and still achieved balance and harmony within the space. “The Interior Design and development of homes now allows for an elaboration of options for families,” says Cavanaugh. “It’s now possible to design a more formal area to conduct meetings and business that exists alongside what we know to be the traditional architectural elements of the family home.”
The Gathering Room was intentionally designed to entertain business meetings, lessening the need for travel and allowing for a more balanced lifesttyle. The room also expands with doors that open up to the outdoor loggia for seamless indoor-outdoor flow. New Ravenna Reve mosaic tile shown in 24K Gold Glass and Agate and Quartz jewel glass. Jules Chandelier by John Pomp, Merrimack Sectionals by Kravet.
The concept of blurring the lines of workspace and home is befitting of our recent experiences of the past year, and the intense work culture of Silicon Valley. It’s also a tall order in design terms. How does one experience the warmth of the family wing of an estate, and enter the formal / business areas of the home without feeling like they’re entering the Business Center at the Ramada Inn? “As the senior creative force overseeing the vision of this unique home, and having our client allow the freedom to design as I saw fit, it allowed me to stretch as a designer and to not place limits on what’s expected; and to wriggle outside of how we typically approach design work,” says Cavanaugh. “The client allowed me to elevate the design by making material selections that push the envelope.”
The Great Room opens up to the kitchen and breakfast nook as well as full open access to the backyard with pool, gym and outdoor seating areas. The family space was designed with function and comfort in mind, while still allowing elevated choices that bring a cohesive design to the entire house composition. OPPOSITE PAGE: The library and study were designed as an Executive Office space with handsome features including custom cabinetry by Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry and stunning Nido Bolle Pendant Lighting.
The results are truly unique. One could parse through a stack of architectural magazines from any era and find the phrase “form and function” sprinkled liberally throughout. While form and function unite in harmony in this home, it might just be the pinnacle of what Cavanaugh calls “livable luxury”—her vision of providing clients with professional designs that don’t impede on the warmth of home and livability.
LEFT: The Bar is a the perfect hangout area featuring Dounia Home pendants and Canadel barstools RIGHT: The adjacent Wine Cellar and Wine Tasting Room boasts feature wall - Cityscape Mosaic by New Ravenna, bringing interest and a youthful flair to this space. BOTTOM: This outdoor space flows seamlessly from the gathering room allowing for an expanded space for large gatherings.
What Bay Area families are really looking for in an articulation of interior design is accessibility,” says Cavanaugh. “And that accessibility is for the owners, their parents, their children, their guests, and those they welcome into their house.” This 15,000 square ft. estate captures that accessibility. The textures and surfaces Cavanaugh has chosen create a palette of flexibility, with various spaces flowing into one another, yet unified, and poised for mixed use. For a home with a formal entertaining space for a hundred people, a bar and wine tasting area, private library and executive space, and a home cinema complete with snack bar, it all works together, and tells a story of relaxed livability. In that sense, this might just be the new definition of the grand estate.
WELCOME TO THE AGE OF REDEFINITION.
JULIE CAVANAUGH Founder and Principal Interior Designer, ASID, CID#5922
DESIGN MATTERS www.designmatters.design
Los Gatos | Redwood City | Morgan Hill | Jackson, Wyoming