Overlooking a canyon in the Pacific Palisades, the Chautauqua Residence, designed by William Hefner Studio is what we call ‘warm contemporary’ houses. The owner, a father of grown children and a collector of rare books wanted a house that would take advantage of the wonderful views. And that’s exactly what architect William Hefner and designer Kazuko Hoshino created.
The canyon and the views from the Will Rogers State Park (California) determined the floor plan, the layout of rooms and their exact orientation on the site. From the entryway, the house leads right into the great room and out to an infinity pool to the edge of the site. The house wraps around the yard and pool on a double lot, with “secondary bedrooms” along the street side. The interior features clean-lined, neutral furnishings that combine custom designs, vintage pieces like a 1950s Marco Zanuso armchair and a 1960s Brazilian table, with contemporary pieces including Minotti chairs and a petrified-wood coffee table from DAO. Behind a minimalist and somewhat intimidating facade of custom-fabricated zinc and smooth stucco lies an open and airy home imbued with simplicity.
