japanese modern taken to a whole new level...

i just got the proofs back from a photo shoot we did last week. we completed building this house last fall but the weather was too bleak to photograph the house then, and we wanted to wait for some of the new planting to mature a little. i have to admit, this is one of my favorite houses. the couple who built it are an 'older' couple who love to travel and were inspired by the japanese architecture they encountered during their travels...very cool in my opinion. the architect was a very talented man by the name of john chapman.

this is the second photo shoot i've done with this photographer, and even though he's by trade an accomplished underwater photographer, his interior shots every time capture exactly what we're looking for. not to mention it's fun to work with him and he moves the shoot right along.

the house is rather unassuming upon first glance, but there are subtle details that make this 4,500 square foot home unique. the simplicity of the grey/white/black exterior color, the gorgeous zinc standing seam roof, the 7 foot tall front garden wall, the exaggerated mahogany front porch with custom metal posts, the zen garden at the entrance...



the kitchen has stunning luce de luna marble countertops, raked limestone floors (with radiant heat!), fabulous vertical grain ash custom cabinets, all accented with top of the line fixtures & appliances. my favorite part is the 'breakfast nook', no table, just low modern seating surrounded by nature...minimalism at its finest...


if you can't tell, the floor plan is very open on the first floor. just off the kitchen is the dining room/ living room. obviously the focal point of this room is the custom fireplace surround. it's made from pieces of fireslate, a simple solid wood strip for the mantle, a floating hearth, and a custom metal screen that's on a hidden track so it can slide easily back & forth....


it's hard to capture such a vertical space, but their staircase is absolutely stunning. the juxtaposition of the fireslate that wraps around from the fireplace, the frosted glass of the basement door, the dark ebony stained floors, the black metal rails, the severity of the height of that 2 story window....it's like the stairway to heaven! and they have this incredible light fixture that i think was literally 'made' for this space. i also love how we hung the art work stacked on top of one another, the space total warrants that sort of treatment...


there are so many little details that you can't see in these pictures that put this house on my list of favorites...the simple crown & baseboard, the elegantly crafted hardware, the soothing spa-like bathrooms, the clerestory windows of the first floor office, the l-o-n-g hallway that leads to the master suit which will act as there own personal 'art gallery' as they collect paintings from their future travels...i could go on and on.