(Source: MLS)
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Quick post: New home on the market
Remember this Russ Barto designed spec duo? Well, that first Italian-esque home has just been listed for sale for $1.898M. Check out the listing here.
(Source: MLS)
(Source: MLS)
(Source: MLS)
(Source: MLS)
Monday, May 30, 2011
A Valmonte "Tuscan"
On this Memorial Day, thought I'd blog about another 60-footer - that is, a new custom-turned-spec-turned-custom home on a small-ish 60' wide lot in Valmonte.
(Source: NJC)
The original owners bought the previous home which sat on this lot in December 2007 for $913K originally for themselves, then given the 2008 downturn, decided to build it on spec and sell. Well, fast forward three years later, the house is now complete although the home has not been put up for sale (lease perhaps?). The 3,106 square foot home sits on a 59x120 foot lot. Designed by Doug Leach and built in 2009, the home replaces a 1,651 square foot 1954 ranch.
(Source: Mapquest)
(Source: NJC)
While this home is a mild improvement over the original home, it still could have been so much better. Where to start? The garage! Why oh why did the owners opt to go for a brown painted plastuminum garage door is beyond me! Would a proper wooden garage door have been that much more expensive? You know, something like this:
(Source: NJC)
Or maybe this:
(Source: NJC)
The original owners bought the previous home which sat on this lot in December 2007 for $913K originally for themselves, then given the 2008 downturn, decided to build it on spec and sell. Well, fast forward three years later, the house is now complete although the home has not been put up for sale (lease perhaps?). The 3,106 square foot home sits on a 59x120 foot lot. Designed by Doug Leach and built in 2009, the home replaces a 1,651 square foot 1954 ranch.
While this home is a mild improvement over the original home, it still could have been so much better. Where to start? The garage! Why oh why did the owners opt to go for a brown painted plastuminum garage door is beyond me! Would a proper wooden garage door have been that much more expensive? You know, something like this:
(Source: NJC)Or this:
(Source: NJC)
Or this:
(Source: NJC)
Any one of those would have been an improvement over the existing garage door - I suppose that's an easy fix later down the line. Moving on.
I'm generally not a fan of stone veneer - I think there's a high degree of risk that the execution looks Disneyland-esque. Here, we're borderline. It almost works - maybe it does. In any event, I think they should have carried that over to the garage - especially given the prominence of the garage door and how it sticks out from the home. Using the darker stone would have helped minimize the garage and also served to protect the facade's balance and symmetry. It would also serve to minimize the upstairs balcony - which coincidentally is my third gripe with this home.
The upstairs balcony detracts from the facade. I long for symmetry. Right now the upstairs looks like a procession of stairs... all leading to the balcony. I would have thought the central hall would be the focus. But here, the garage and upstairs balcony take visual focus away from the rest of the home. This home says "I drive two cars" instead of "rustic Italian home ... with a garage for modern convenience." Maybe something more like this would have been appropriate (Warning: I'm by no means a Photoshop artist, proceed with caution!):
(Source: NJC)
In my hacked version of the facade, we'd have a more authentic garage door and an upstairs that is symmetric. Here the focus is on the central stone tower. Taking it a step further, we'd stone the garage as well so as to minimize its prominence. Something like this:
(Source: NJC)
Or maybe this:
What do you think?
KEY STATS
Location: Valmonte, PVE
Style: Italian
Year built: 2009
Architect: Doug Leach
Square footage: 3106
Lot size: 7,090sf (59'x120')
Style: Italian
Year built: 2009
Architect: Doug Leach
Square footage: 3106
Lot size: 7,090sf (59'x120')
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
McMansion or Estate? You decide...
In line with recent posts about some relatively new (and even under construction) homes, today I bring you another. This one is in the Montemalaga area of PVE, where some of the largest homes on the Peninsula are located. The Munoz Residence.
(Source: NJC)
Designed by Redondo Beach-based architect David J. Boyd (www.boydarchitects.com) and built in 2010, this 7,254 square foot residence sits on a 0.6 acre corner lot. The home replaces a 3,426, single-level L-shaped ranch style home built in 1968 which the current owner purchased in 2007 for $2.3M.
(Source: Google Maps)
(Source: Bing Maps)
As you can tell from the photos and the aerials, the new home keeps the same basic footprint and orientation as the original. At first, I wondered why - the street it faces is a much more active thoroughfare than the side street to its north. And then it hit me - the views! From the second floor of this house, you have a peak-a-boo ocean/city view.
Anyhow, I haven't seen much of this architect's work before, but a quick perusal on the website shows that he hasn't done a terrible amount of work on the Peninsula. Judging from this home and the few he has listed in the Mediterranean variety, I would rate him average. The rendering of this home (all these new school architects and their CAD drawings!) is below.
(Source: David J. Boyd & Associates)
Even from the rendering, I feel there is something very off about this home. For one, the wood in the rendering is too light - should be dark, grainy wood. Thankfully this was fixed in the actual home. What else - oh yes, the windows. There are too many windows and they are slightly out of scale. We ought to cherish the white space - the plaster is just as important as the glass. Filling every inch of the home with windows and doors makes absolutely no sense - its excess. Does any particular room in a house need that much light? The role of an architect and a good interior designer is to properly orchestrate all the features of the rooms and flow of a house - the right kind of light, in the right spot, with the right architectural details to highlight and enhance and be enhanced. Whenever I see a monstrosity of glass I think to myself - very bad interior planning; they're just flooding the interior with light without any regard to room and space planning.
With a house of this size and mass (it has over 160' of frontage), there are ways to execute a restrained, elegant and sophisticated Spanish home. One good example of something similar are the spec homes at Terranea.
(Source: NJC)
(Source: NJC)
Notice how these homes feel much more authentic - despite having to accommodate a similar square footage. They have ample windows - absolutely - but they're done to scale and in a tasteful manner. Even the plaster on the exterior walls has a more weathered, natural appearance.
One aspect you'll notice - which detracts from the authenticity of the Munoz residence, are the frames around the windows and rooflines. What's with that?
(Source: NJC)
That wreaks of McMansion in my view. If you look at all of the 1920s era Spanish homes I've featured on this site, I don't think you'll find this feature. Look at the Terranea homes as well - no frames!
(Source: NJC)
Finally, let's look at the rear of the home. It's a bit better than the front - but not by much.
(Source: Google Maps)
(Source: NJC)
Overall, borderline McMansion - what do you think?
Designed by Redondo Beach-based architect David J. Boyd (www.boydarchitects.com) and built in 2010, this 7,254 square foot residence sits on a 0.6 acre corner lot. The home replaces a 3,426, single-level L-shaped ranch style home built in 1968 which the current owner purchased in 2007 for $2.3M.
As you can tell from the photos and the aerials, the new home keeps the same basic footprint and orientation as the original. At first, I wondered why - the street it faces is a much more active thoroughfare than the side street to its north. And then it hit me - the views! From the second floor of this house, you have a peak-a-boo ocean/city view.
Anyhow, I haven't seen much of this architect's work before, but a quick perusal on the website shows that he hasn't done a terrible amount of work on the Peninsula. Judging from this home and the few he has listed in the Mediterranean variety, I would rate him average. The rendering of this home (all these new school architects and their CAD drawings!) is below.
Even from the rendering, I feel there is something very off about this home. For one, the wood in the rendering is too light - should be dark, grainy wood. Thankfully this was fixed in the actual home. What else - oh yes, the windows. There are too many windows and they are slightly out of scale. We ought to cherish the white space - the plaster is just as important as the glass. Filling every inch of the home with windows and doors makes absolutely no sense - its excess. Does any particular room in a house need that much light? The role of an architect and a good interior designer is to properly orchestrate all the features of the rooms and flow of a house - the right kind of light, in the right spot, with the right architectural details to highlight and enhance and be enhanced. Whenever I see a monstrosity of glass I think to myself - very bad interior planning; they're just flooding the interior with light without any regard to room and space planning.
With a house of this size and mass (it has over 160' of frontage), there are ways to execute a restrained, elegant and sophisticated Spanish home. One good example of something similar are the spec homes at Terranea.
Notice how these homes feel much more authentic - despite having to accommodate a similar square footage. They have ample windows - absolutely - but they're done to scale and in a tasteful manner. Even the plaster on the exterior walls has a more weathered, natural appearance.
One aspect you'll notice - which detracts from the authenticity of the Munoz residence, are the frames around the windows and rooflines. What's with that?
That wreaks of McMansion in my view. If you look at all of the 1920s era Spanish homes I've featured on this site, I don't think you'll find this feature. Look at the Terranea homes as well - no frames!
Finally, let's look at the rear of the home. It's a bit better than the front - but not by much.
Overall, borderline McMansion - what do you think?
KEY STATS
Location: Montemalaga, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built: 2010
Architect: David J. Boyd
Square footage: 7,254
Lot size: 21,443sf (irregular, 172'x218')
Style: Spanish
Year built: 2010
Architect: David J. Boyd
Square footage: 7,254
Lot size: 21,443sf (irregular, 172'x218')
Monday, May 23, 2011
Under Construction - A Unique Spanish Home
So today I'm going to focus on a home that is currently under construction. I've been following this home for some time. Unlike other homes featured on this site, this home sits on an irregularly shaped lot which makes designing a nice Spanish home particularly challenging. The Holdsworth Residence
(Source: NJC)
Situated on a large, albeit irregular pie shaped lot, the Holdsworths have owned the home for some time. In fact, property records do not show the last sale transaction. In an interesting side note, the Holdsworth used the same architect on this home as they did on the home right next door which they bought on spec and built a (in my view) less attractive Spanish home. More on that later.
Anyhow, this home, designed by Huntington Beach-based architect Jeff Dahl replaces a fine but less attractive 3,178 square foot 1963 Cape Cod style home.
(Source: Google Maps)
(Source: Bing Maps)
(Source: Google Maps)
Situated on a large, albeit irregular pie shaped lot, the Holdsworths have owned the home for some time. In fact, property records do not show the last sale transaction. In an interesting side note, the Holdsworth used the same architect on this home as they did on the home right next door which they bought on spec and built a (in my view) less attractive Spanish home. More on that later.
Anyhow, this home, designed by Huntington Beach-based architect Jeff Dahl replaces a fine but less attractive 3,178 square foot 1963 Cape Cod style home.
(Source: Google Maps)Indeed, you'll notice that this picture, taken in 2007 or thereabouts, shows the flagging required by the PVE Planning Department and it also shows the other home the couple also built right next door (also being flagged).
As you can see below, the large 15,000 square foot lot also has a pool, and backs up to a hill.
(Source: Bing Maps)
I think the home they're building is absolutely stunning. I've followed it the last several months, hoping that it would turn out well - and it has! I'm guessing its a few more months before everything is finished. I do hope this gets put up for sale so I can tour the inside! A few more photos below:
(Source: NJC)
(Source: NJC)
(Source: NJC)
This is a project well executed. The turret. The minimized garage. The roof lines. The scale of the windows. The way the shape of the home fits into the natural landscape. This all just works! I can't wait to see this home completed - should be great!
KEY STATS
Location: Upper Lunada, PVE
Style: Spanish
Year built: 2011
Architect: Jeff Dahl
Square footage: Unknown
Lot size: 15,590sf (irregular)
Style: Spanish
Year built: 2011
Architect: Jeff Dahl
Square footage: Unknown
Lot size: 15,590sf (irregular)
P.S. The neighboring home I mentioned above, which was also designed by Jeff Dahl and built by the homeowners, is far less impressive. They bought the original home in 2008 for $1.195M and replaced that 2,286sf 1962 home with this Spanish one - not my favorite - by a long shot!
(Source: NJC)
Those stairs! No no no. Too much. Too much white there. The stairs are out of scale and detract from the rest of the home. Also, those french doors above the garage - NO!!! Out of scale and look cartoonish.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
I'm back...with a nice cliffside spec home...
Alright, sorry for the absence - life (work/personal) has been crazy the last few weeks and its been challenging to find time to even catch my breath, let alone do other things (e.g. blog). Anyway, hopefully May/June will prove more prolific than March/April.
Anyhow, today we head back to the hills of Palos Verdes to check out a home I've admired the last couple of years. The home was built on spec by Elite Homes Inc, a South Bay spec builder that generally does multi-unit projects in Torrance and neighboring communities. Occasionally, they've built a few other custom homes including a couple on the Peninsula. This home is on the same street as the Chadwick House, the first home I wrote about as part of my series on the Palos Verdes Home Tour. In fact, this home is literally two houses over.
(Source: Bing Maps)
(Source: NJC)
Designed and built in 2004, the home measures 7,465 square feet and sits on a generous 0.6 acre hillside lot. As I mentioned before, the house is a well-designed, Italian home unlike the Beverly Hills McMansion variety (which is usually plagued with excess windows and columns on the facade). Outside of the structure itself, the views are incomparable to any other spot on the Peninsula. As I said, it shares the same view as the Chadwick House - to refresh:
(Source: NJC)
That's right - Malibu to downtown LA, to the PV Country Club and Valmonte - oh yeah, and the Pacific Ocean as well! Anyway, back to the house.
The house itself, with its 7 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms was built on spec in 2004. Elite Homes bought the original home and lot in November 2000 for $1.75M, built this home in 2004, and later sold it to its current owners (marketing exec) in June 2005 for $6.25M. At the peak of the housing market, this house would've touched $8M.
(Source: NJC)
Given the hillside slope, the house actually sits below street grade (see above). Its only upon standing literally right in front of the house that one can appreciate the architectural details. The roof pitch. The stone entrance surround. The sparing use of columns for the second floor balconies. The symmetry. The color and texture of the exterior walls. It all just works!
(Source: NJC)
(Source: NJC)
Parking for this home is accommodated by what looks to be a four-car garage on the right side.
(Source: Bing Maps)
(Source: NJC)
What's more - this house is ALL about the views. And the architects knew that - just check out the rear of the home.
(Source: Bing Maps)
(Source: Bing Maps)
As you can see, over six different viewing terraces and balconies on the rear and left side of the home. All to accommodate that amazing view! It's one thing to have a city view. It's another thing to have an ocean view. Its rare to have all of that in one single shot.
By the way, check out the pool - it looks like the jacuzzi is one level above it, and if my eyes serve me right, it looks as though (potentially) the water from the jacuzzi cascades down into the pool (infinity edge?). Neat.
Overall, this home is a beautiful example of Italian done right. If I only had a spare $6M....
Anyhow, today we head back to the hills of Palos Verdes to check out a home I've admired the last couple of years. The home was built on spec by Elite Homes Inc, a South Bay spec builder that generally does multi-unit projects in Torrance and neighboring communities. Occasionally, they've built a few other custom homes including a couple on the Peninsula. This home is on the same street as the Chadwick House, the first home I wrote about as part of my series on the Palos Verdes Home Tour. In fact, this home is literally two houses over.
Designed and built in 2004, the home measures 7,465 square feet and sits on a generous 0.6 acre hillside lot. As I mentioned before, the house is a well-designed, Italian home unlike the Beverly Hills McMansion variety (which is usually plagued with excess windows and columns on the facade). Outside of the structure itself, the views are incomparable to any other spot on the Peninsula. As I said, it shares the same view as the Chadwick House - to refresh:
That's right - Malibu to downtown LA, to the PV Country Club and Valmonte - oh yeah, and the Pacific Ocean as well! Anyway, back to the house.
The house itself, with its 7 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms was built on spec in 2004. Elite Homes bought the original home and lot in November 2000 for $1.75M, built this home in 2004, and later sold it to its current owners (marketing exec) in June 2005 for $6.25M. At the peak of the housing market, this house would've touched $8M.
Given the hillside slope, the house actually sits below street grade (see above). Its only upon standing literally right in front of the house that one can appreciate the architectural details. The roof pitch. The stone entrance surround. The sparing use of columns for the second floor balconies. The symmetry. The color and texture of the exterior walls. It all just works!
Parking for this home is accommodated by what looks to be a four-car garage on the right side.
What's more - this house is ALL about the views. And the architects knew that - just check out the rear of the home.
As you can see, over six different viewing terraces and balconies on the rear and left side of the home. All to accommodate that amazing view! It's one thing to have a city view. It's another thing to have an ocean view. Its rare to have all of that in one single shot.
By the way, check out the pool - it looks like the jacuzzi is one level above it, and if my eyes serve me right, it looks as though (potentially) the water from the jacuzzi cascades down into the pool (infinity edge?). Neat.
Overall, this home is a beautiful example of Italian done right. If I only had a spare $6M....
KEY STATS
Location: Valmonte, PVE
Style: Italian
Year built: 2004
Architect: Elite Homes (architect unknown)
Square footage: 7,465
Lot size: 26,530 (117 front, growing to 234, by 153 feet minimum depth)
Style: Italian
Year built: 2004
Architect: Elite Homes (architect unknown)
Square footage: 7,465
Lot size: 26,530 (117 front, growing to 234, by 153 feet minimum depth)
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