Architect Rob Diaz has turned heads throughout Southern California with his many upscale residential projects. One of his latest endeavors is a four-bedroom, five-bathroom A-frame home and detached casita in an intimate enclave of Studio City. Separated by an in-ground swimming pool, the stucco-clad structures boast rustic wooden shutters, copper gutters and imported terracotta roof tiles that were reclaimed from an old church in France. He notes, “It has a timeless vibe.”
Envisioning a seamless blend of European and California influences, Diaz + Alexander Studio, in collaboration with designer Anastasia Ratia, designed the interior with long, wide oak flooring and hand-troweled clay walls, which are punctuated by black steel-framed doors and windows that imbue the space with natural light.
As Diaz explains, “We leaned into the European influence; there were moments we wanted to highlight.” Indeed, the central hallway boasts a limestone sanded cobblestone floor and, in the front entry, quartersawn, white oak built-in cabinetry. In a deliberate act of restraint, the walls are tinted with a neutral hue, moldings have been minimized and there is no baseboard. “It didn’t need anything else.”
In the living room, a plush sofa defines a sophisticated conversation area in front of a fireplace with a natural bluestone surround and a solid limestone mantel from France. Along one wall, a pair of architectural niches house built-in oak cabinetry and a daybed illuminated by a pair of small brass wall sconces. “I enjoy spending time in more intimate spaces like this,” Diaz admits. “It’s a great spot to read a magazine.”
A pair of iron chandeliers with glass shades play off the tall, arched windows on either side of the fireplace. Brass pendants, meanwhile, cast warm pools of light onto the sandstone countertop in the open kitchen, where a steel-paned window behind the range allows the cook in the adjacent service kitchen to be part of the action. And in lieu of a traditional chandelier, a 15-foot, wall-mounted brass-and-crystal fixture illuminates the table and chairs in the open dining area. “I love the unexpected,” he shares. “We put a lot of energy into the lighting schedule.”
Decidedly, a modern, six-arm pendant in white reflects off the plaster ceiling in the second-floor primary bedroom suite, which opens to a spacious patio overlooking the front yard. The palette flows into the en suite bathroom, where veiny white marble accents the oak floor and hand-crafted wooden vanity. In addition to a luxurious, marble-clad standalone shower with ample space for two, a soaking tub offers a relaxing spot to take in the neighborhood views.
After expending so much time, energy and money on the two-and-a-half-year project, Diaz spent some time alone there, sipping a cup of tea and puffing on a cigar while he enjoyed the fruits of his labor. Eager to share the project, he later hosted a catered open house for approximately 1,500 people, serving lobster tail and champagne as they raved about the home he created. “That’s my payday – a moment to feel gratitude and ask myself what worked and what didn’t work,” he avers. “To have it be so well received felt really good. There’s nothing I would change about this place.”
Photography by Virtually Here Studios
Styling by The Platform Experiment
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