COME SIT A WHILE. “Our clients wanted a modern home reminiscent of their Hill Country roots,” says Anita Dawson of Dawson Design Group. “In small-town Texas, everyone gathers to relax and visit on the front porch in rockers or porch swings.” This design offers several seating areas for friends and family. The four slipcovered Lane Venture chairs around an ottoman on the screened porch “feel cushy but stand up to rain and weather,” notes Dawson.
POPPING PINK. Architect Brian Sipe – yes, the NFL MVP quarterback who played for the Cleveland Browns in a past life – used traditional limestone from a quarry just outside Austin, along with exposed structural steel. “The most unusual element is the happy magenta stucco wall in the courtyard – a nod to famous Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, who used bold colors,” remarks Dawson.
BLUE VELVET. The custom-made dining chairs are upholstered in blue Palazzo velvet from Carlucci di Chivasso. “We used cooler colors because the bones of the house were so warm … stone façade, wood floor, wood ceiling. Strong blues just felt right. I think clients are more eager to live with colors instead of death by beige now,” comments Dawson. A pink lacquer Regency Long Wave Cabinet from Julian Chichester serves as a credenza.
OCEAN’S HEAVEN. The home is in a neighborhood called Del Mar (Spanish for “of the sea” or “by the sea”) and the clients chose two shades-of-the-sea rocking chairs with wood arms in High Point. They rock gently like the waves.
ROSE-COLORED GLASSES. The pink wall is visible from a few angles. “It was one of the last things we did,” adds Dawson. “It’s the only stucco wall outside; the others are all stone.” The floor is reclaimed white oak.
IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT. “Lighting is always a huge element in design,” concludes Dawson. Spotlights are strategically placed so the home and the landscaping look welcoming and pretty when the sun goes down on the California coastline.
Photography by Brady Architectural Photography.
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