Read the article (pdf) - Elizabeth Vallino Interiors
LOS ANGELES
$ 9.95
a sandow publication
volume 12, issue 2
display until 7/14/14
island inspiration A RESIDENCE IN MONTECITO BLENDS AN ITALIAN INFLUENCE WITH A MODERN S E N S I B I L I T Y , R E S U L T I N G I N A N E L E G A N T H O M E T H A T E N G A G E S I T S S I T E. written by JORGE S. ARANGO
p h o t o g r a p h y b y L I S A RO M E RE I N
interior architecture Elizabeth Vallino, Elizabeth Vallino Interiors architecture Sophie Calvin, Calvin Design
home builder Troy Franckowiak, Buildwell Construction
landscape architecture Natalie van Zelm, Urban Eco Design bedrooms 3
bathrooms 3
square feet 3,100
luxe interiors
+ design
249
M
aurice Singer, a former Hollywood producer and entertainment industry executive who now runs a real estate investment fund, remembers being spellbound by Pantelleria, a volcanic island on a
continental rift in the Mediterranean. Though officially part of Sicily, Pantelleria is closer to Tunisia and, says Singer, “I was very influenced by its mixed Italian and North African aesthetic.” He decided to transport this unique blend to another site of considerable seismic activity—his Montecito home overlooking the Santa Ynez Mountains. Singer knew what he wanted, but it would take some doing to realize his vision. Built in 1959, the house was basically a nondescript ranch, to which he sought to add a two-car garage, more outdoor living areas and a healthy dollop of personality. He required someone skilled at translating his needs into workable drawings that would win approval from the county’s exacting Montecito Board of Architectural Review. Designer Elizabeth Vallino helped define the living room of a remodeled Montecito residence with a floating modern fireplace. A sculptural coffee table by Oggetti stands on a textured wool Dellarobbia rug, both chosen by Hyon Chough from her shop, Blueprint.
Enter residential designer Sophie Calvin, who was able to map out the addition and a basic floor plan, along with restrained architectural flourishes such as contemporary steel-and-glass French doors. Singer also engaged designer Elizabeth Vallino to, he says, “really tweak the architectural details.”
luxe interiors
+ design
251
“WE STEERED THE DESIGN TOWARD A MORE INDOOR-OUTDOOR, MODERN VERSION OF AN ITALIAN ISLAND HOUSE.”
Above: The homeowner unearthed the living room’s 19th-century Venetian library table, paired with a sleek-lined chair, at an antiques shop in France. Left: A new side terrace showcases a fountain from Giannini Garden Ornaments in South San Francisco.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 251
What that involved, explains Vallino—who completed her interior design degree in Rome and had been to Pantelleria—was “steering it toward a more indoor-outdoor, modern version of an Italian island house.” Hints of this concept begin outside, she continues, with “very clean, hand-troweled stucco walls and garage openings that are completely rectilinear and without detailing. By the time you reach the front door, which is steel-framed glass, you pretty much know you’re leaving traditional behind.” Vallino centered the living room with a clean-lined fireplace, which creates intimate conversation areas without sacrificing the open feel of the room. The designer also gave the original oak floors a light whitewashed finish.
Inside, Vallino removed a wall to create a graciously proportioned living room and then designed a floating fireplace to produce more intimate gathering spaces without closing things in. She also lifted
luxe interiors
+ design
253
Vallino designed a concrete fireplace structure with a built-in bench, fabricated by Buildwell Construction, for the existing terrace. The space is furnished with waterproof seating by Philippe Starck and rattan coffee tables, all from Design Within Reach.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 253
the drop ceiling, which, she says, “became an invitation to make the existing French doors higher and wider,” flooding spaces throughout with natural light. As far as interior surfaces, Vallino had the original oak floors “whitewashed to an almost perfect whiteness” to play off hand-stuccoed walls. To “keep the Mediterranean vocabulary but within a modern context,” Vallino installed archways in a hallway leading to the master suite. She also added a side terrace and a modern fireplace that “carries the simplicity and finish of the interior fireplace” outside to the existing terrace. Of course, as the architectural changes were being made, the region’s tectonics had to be taken into account as well. “In order to 254 l u x e i n t e r i o r s
+ design
A few steps down from the existing terrace, a new expansive side terrace offers an ideal spot for al fresco dining and taking in views of the picturesque Santa Ynez Mountains. The metal table and chairs are by Kreiss.
Above: Vallino designed the kitchen with a marble mosaic backsplash from Country Floors. The walnut barstools and walnutand-metal chairs are both from Blueprint. Left: A Robert Abbey chandelier hangs above an antique Art Deco table and chairs from Como, Italy, in the dining room.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 254
withstand seismic activity and avoid sinking into the clay soil,” recalls builder Troy Franckowiak, “we had to drill 30 feet down to reach bedrock for the pylons.” For the interior design, Singer turned to Hyon Chough, owner of the Los Angeles furniture shop Blueprint, which started life as a supplier for Hollywood sets. Singer was familiar with the store from his producing days, and he asked Chough to help him incorporate his antiques into a Steel-framed glass doors, fabricated by Silvino Nuno in Oxnard, and an arched doorway mark the living room. Wouter Dam’s porcelain sculpture, purchased from the Frank Lloyd Gallery, and an Antonio Villanueva painting acquired in France stand by the entry to the kitchen.
more modern aesthetic. “A lot of people have old furnishings and love modern furniture,” says Chough, who brought in contemporary pieces from her shop, “but they’re afraid of mixing them up. Doing so adds layers of depth and more personality.” So a 19th-century Venetian library table luxe interiors
+ design
257
A hand-blown glass pendant by Oggetti, sold through Blueprint, lends a splash of color to the master bathroom and hangs above a Spoon tub by Agape. The custom vanity was made by Peter Shingle, and the sink is by Duravit.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 257
now shares space with an Oggetti coffee table in the living room, and a steel pendant hovers above an Art Deco dining set. Landscape designer Natalie van Zelm added the final layer. “The garden incorporates low-maintenance, drought-tolerant and edible plantings,” says van Zelm, who also created several inviting outdoor spaces. Grasses, she adds, become “a canvas that lends focus to islands of colorful Mediterranean plantings,” and frame sculptures near the entry. In all, the outcome resonates like an Italian story narrated through a California Modern lens. “The Mediterranean architectural language is so entrenched in our California imagination that it’s easy to appropriate,” says Vallino. “The important thing is to know when to stop.” L
258 l u x e i n t e r i o r s
+ design
In the master bedroom, a leather-covered Maxdivani sofa, which can be adjusted for lounging, pairs with a glass-and-chrome Nuevo coffee table, both from Blueprint. The wool rug is by Dellarobbia.
ELIZABETH VALLINO INTERIORS 726 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805.451.4441 elizabethvallinointeriors.com
REPRINTED F ROM
For more information about Luxe Interiors + Design™, visit us at luxesource.com Content for this brochure has been reprinted and/or repurposed from Luxe Interiors + Design™ magazine with the express permission of its publisher. © 2014 Sandow Media Corporation. All rights reserved.
$ 9.95
a sandow publication
volume 12, issue 2
display until 7/14/14
island inspiration A RESIDENCE IN MONTECITO BLENDS AN ITALIAN INFLUENCE WITH A MODERN S E N S I B I L I T Y , R E S U L T I N G I N A N E L E G A N T H O M E T H A T E N G A G E S I T S S I T E. written by JORGE S. ARANGO
p h o t o g r a p h y b y L I S A RO M E RE I N
interior architecture Elizabeth Vallino, Elizabeth Vallino Interiors architecture Sophie Calvin, Calvin Design
home builder Troy Franckowiak, Buildwell Construction
landscape architecture Natalie van Zelm, Urban Eco Design bedrooms 3
bathrooms 3
square feet 3,100
luxe interiors
+ design
249
M
aurice Singer, a former Hollywood producer and entertainment industry executive who now runs a real estate investment fund, remembers being spellbound by Pantelleria, a volcanic island on a
continental rift in the Mediterranean. Though officially part of Sicily, Pantelleria is closer to Tunisia and, says Singer, “I was very influenced by its mixed Italian and North African aesthetic.” He decided to transport this unique blend to another site of considerable seismic activity—his Montecito home overlooking the Santa Ynez Mountains. Singer knew what he wanted, but it would take some doing to realize his vision. Built in 1959, the house was basically a nondescript ranch, to which he sought to add a two-car garage, more outdoor living areas and a healthy dollop of personality. He required someone skilled at translating his needs into workable drawings that would win approval from the county’s exacting Montecito Board of Architectural Review. Designer Elizabeth Vallino helped define the living room of a remodeled Montecito residence with a floating modern fireplace. A sculptural coffee table by Oggetti stands on a textured wool Dellarobbia rug, both chosen by Hyon Chough from her shop, Blueprint.
Enter residential designer Sophie Calvin, who was able to map out the addition and a basic floor plan, along with restrained architectural flourishes such as contemporary steel-and-glass French doors. Singer also engaged designer Elizabeth Vallino to, he says, “really tweak the architectural details.”
luxe interiors
+ design
251
“WE STEERED THE DESIGN TOWARD A MORE INDOOR-OUTDOOR, MODERN VERSION OF AN ITALIAN ISLAND HOUSE.”
Above: The homeowner unearthed the living room’s 19th-century Venetian library table, paired with a sleek-lined chair, at an antiques shop in France. Left: A new side terrace showcases a fountain from Giannini Garden Ornaments in South San Francisco.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 251
What that involved, explains Vallino—who completed her interior design degree in Rome and had been to Pantelleria—was “steering it toward a more indoor-outdoor, modern version of an Italian island house.” Hints of this concept begin outside, she continues, with “very clean, hand-troweled stucco walls and garage openings that are completely rectilinear and without detailing. By the time you reach the front door, which is steel-framed glass, you pretty much know you’re leaving traditional behind.” Vallino centered the living room with a clean-lined fireplace, which creates intimate conversation areas without sacrificing the open feel of the room. The designer also gave the original oak floors a light whitewashed finish.
Inside, Vallino removed a wall to create a graciously proportioned living room and then designed a floating fireplace to produce more intimate gathering spaces without closing things in. She also lifted
luxe interiors
+ design
253
Vallino designed a concrete fireplace structure with a built-in bench, fabricated by Buildwell Construction, for the existing terrace. The space is furnished with waterproof seating by Philippe Starck and rattan coffee tables, all from Design Within Reach.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 253
the drop ceiling, which, she says, “became an invitation to make the existing French doors higher and wider,” flooding spaces throughout with natural light. As far as interior surfaces, Vallino had the original oak floors “whitewashed to an almost perfect whiteness” to play off hand-stuccoed walls. To “keep the Mediterranean vocabulary but within a modern context,” Vallino installed archways in a hallway leading to the master suite. She also added a side terrace and a modern fireplace that “carries the simplicity and finish of the interior fireplace” outside to the existing terrace. Of course, as the architectural changes were being made, the region’s tectonics had to be taken into account as well. “In order to 254 l u x e i n t e r i o r s
+ design
A few steps down from the existing terrace, a new expansive side terrace offers an ideal spot for al fresco dining and taking in views of the picturesque Santa Ynez Mountains. The metal table and chairs are by Kreiss.
Above: Vallino designed the kitchen with a marble mosaic backsplash from Country Floors. The walnut barstools and walnutand-metal chairs are both from Blueprint. Left: A Robert Abbey chandelier hangs above an antique Art Deco table and chairs from Como, Italy, in the dining room.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 254
withstand seismic activity and avoid sinking into the clay soil,” recalls builder Troy Franckowiak, “we had to drill 30 feet down to reach bedrock for the pylons.” For the interior design, Singer turned to Hyon Chough, owner of the Los Angeles furniture shop Blueprint, which started life as a supplier for Hollywood sets. Singer was familiar with the store from his producing days, and he asked Chough to help him incorporate his antiques into a Steel-framed glass doors, fabricated by Silvino Nuno in Oxnard, and an arched doorway mark the living room. Wouter Dam’s porcelain sculpture, purchased from the Frank Lloyd Gallery, and an Antonio Villanueva painting acquired in France stand by the entry to the kitchen.
more modern aesthetic. “A lot of people have old furnishings and love modern furniture,” says Chough, who brought in contemporary pieces from her shop, “but they’re afraid of mixing them up. Doing so adds layers of depth and more personality.” So a 19th-century Venetian library table luxe interiors
+ design
257
A hand-blown glass pendant by Oggetti, sold through Blueprint, lends a splash of color to the master bathroom and hangs above a Spoon tub by Agape. The custom vanity was made by Peter Shingle, and the sink is by Duravit.
c o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e 257
now shares space with an Oggetti coffee table in the living room, and a steel pendant hovers above an Art Deco dining set. Landscape designer Natalie van Zelm added the final layer. “The garden incorporates low-maintenance, drought-tolerant and edible plantings,” says van Zelm, who also created several inviting outdoor spaces. Grasses, she adds, become “a canvas that lends focus to islands of colorful Mediterranean plantings,” and frame sculptures near the entry. In all, the outcome resonates like an Italian story narrated through a California Modern lens. “The Mediterranean architectural language is so entrenched in our California imagination that it’s easy to appropriate,” says Vallino. “The important thing is to know when to stop.” L
258 l u x e i n t e r i o r s
+ design
In the master bedroom, a leather-covered Maxdivani sofa, which can be adjusted for lounging, pairs with a glass-and-chrome Nuevo coffee table, both from Blueprint. The wool rug is by Dellarobbia.
ELIZABETH VALLINO INTERIORS 726 Anacapa Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805.451.4441 elizabethvallinointeriors.com
REPRINTED F ROM
For more information about Luxe Interiors + Design™, visit us at luxesource.com Content for this brochure has been reprinted and/or repurposed from Luxe Interiors + Design™ magazine with the express permission of its publisher. © 2014 Sandow Media Corporation. All rights reserved.
