ARCHITECTs
“Rhythm, balance, scale, and proportion [are] the ways to create beautiful buildings. A good designer can create a great project by following that advice.” Eric Miller, PrincipaL
Eric Miller Architects Personalizing Regional Influences to fit Each Client by David Hudnall For Eric Miller, context is key. In Pacific Grove, California, where his firm, Eric Miller Architects, is based, Craftsman homes are common, and when the firm designs homes in the area, they are informed by that regional vernacular. “We paraphrase the Craftsman look but bring our own style to it,” he says. In Carmel, California, another area where many of Miller’s designs can be found, the predominant style is more European—a blending of French, German, and Italian influences. “After World War I, the soldiers returned, and their memory of European design stuck with them,” he says. “They asked architects to design them homes that paraphrased
those styles. So when we design in Carmel, we’re aware of the roots of the homes, and we’re paraphrasing that.” Eric Miller and his team used this context-based approach on two recent projects in Carmel, a place where the needs of no two clients are alike.
The Tehama Home A balance between privacy and connectivity was the goal with this residence. All bedrooms were designed like master suites, with their own bedrooms, sitting areas, and exterior entries that do not require guests to walk through the main house. A courtyard, shielded from the northwest winds, features a pool and expansive outdoor living spaces. “The client actually just called me the other day to tell me how much he appreciates the balance of light and space in the house,” Miller says.
The Tehama residence is a sprawling, 20,000-square-foot Spanish-style Mediterranean home with a tile roof, stone and stucco walls, and a pool with an infinity edge and an adjacent outdoor living area. “It’s just as much about the siting as it is the home—the home sits beautifully on the site,” Miller says. The pool and back of the home, surrounded by wildflowers, overlook a canyon and
may 2011
luxury home quarterly
127