Home tour: A midcentury-inspired residence in California accented with cedar-clad touches

The Tree House by Los Angeles-based KAA Design Group is a layered system of intimate indoor-outdoor spaces with midcentury touches

Located on the western hills of Mount Soledad in the elevated seaside community of La Jolla, California, the 10,500 sq ft residence dubbed “The Tree House” is a warm contemporary build that balances panoramic ocean views and vivid natural topography with sophisticated materiality and nuanced colours.

“The works of master architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra and Rudolf Schindler, to name a few, were our sources of inspiration in designing and decorating this home,” says Duan Tran, co-partner at the award-winning architectural firm KAA Design Group.

“It’s also primarily the inherent sensitivity of a home’s relationship to the site–the expansive coastal views and the unusual site topography—as well as the indoor-outdoor relationships that we can create for the clients.”

Photo 1 of 2 A board-formed concrete wall and cedar gate contrasts with the natural elements

Photo 2 of 2 The vehicular porte-cochère leads to the motor court

This was accomplished through a series of interconnected volumes on the one-and-half acre site, their cubist simplicity contradicting an underlying complexity. The assemblage of pavilions anchored the home, and connected to the natural and designed landscape in the most authentic manner.

Besides that, KAA Design also took cues from the array of existing mature Cork oaks, rare Torrey pines and fragrant Southern magnolias the residence is nestled in, crafting a purposefully orthogonal architecture that contrasts with the natural elements.

Photo 1 of 2 The elongated cedar-clad box captures the eye upon entry into the site

Photo 2 of 2 The two-storey architectural volumes that cantilever over slopes

Above Juxtaposing volumes of cedar-clad wood

Above A mature niwaki-pruned Japanese black pine in the motor court

From a secluded drive on one of the most exclusive streets in La Jolla, a monumental board-formed concrete wall and cedar gate at the glowing vehicular porte-cochère. It leads to the motor court, where a beautiful mature niwaki-pruned Japanese black pine tree is left in place while a granite boulder joins in to create an organic sculpture.

Overhead, an elongated cedar-clad box where the owners’ office is, seemingly supported on either end by plaster-and-concrete plinths, kicks off the two-storey architectural volumes that cantilever over slopes, and span over transparent spaces.

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Above An all-in-one great room that consists of the family area, a dining area and an open kitchen

Inside the full-time dwelling with five bedrooms and six full baths, the architectural language is centred around simplicity and minimalism, further expressed through the building’s contrasting materials palette.

Juxtaposed volumes of cedar-clad wood and white plaster bars are anchored by solid board formed concrete walls, while translucent floor-to-ceiling glass accentuates under natural light the honed limestone flooring, rich woods and rough-hewn stone walls.

Photo 1 of 2 Large sliding glass doors bringing the view into the interior

Photo 2 of 2 The family area

Meanwhile, interior designer Pamela Smith created an organic and serene environment with a muted palette through modern furnishings and sculptural art pieces by East Lawn Sphere and Ed, Philip and Matt Moulthrop—all of which complement the architectural vernacular, and comfortable spaces for the owners to enjoy the home.

Furthermore, the residence is fitted with sustainable integrations, such as geothermal heating and cooling, photovoltaic energy systems, solar water heating and grey water recirculation.

Above The kitchen with limestone floors and wood ceilings with clear stain finishing

The lower level is an all-in-one great room that consists of the family area, a dining area and an open kitchen with limestone floors, wood ceilings, and a clear stain finish.

Large sliding glass doors flank both sides of the open-plan great room, which can be pocketed away almost completely to create an expansive portal on each side, connecting the generous outdoor spaces while bringing the view to the interior.

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The midcentury-inspired Tree House in La Jolla, California by award-winning architectural firm KAA Design Group

The expansive eastern-facing outdoor space

The sunken bocce ball court next to the game room

Photo 1 of 4 The outdoor space with a large lawn and an existing cork oak tree

Photo 2 of 4 The expansive eastern-facing outdoor space

Photo 3 of 4 The indoor-outdoor game room

Photo 4 of 4 The sunken bocce ball court next to the game room

Above Cedar-clad wood and white plaster bars accentuated by floor-to-ceiling glass and the pool

Above The eave of the second floor terrace gracefully notched to accommodate the cork oak tree

On the eastern-facing outdoor space, the large lawn features a swimming pool and a courtyard with an outdoor kitchen, dining space and a lounge seating area with a fire pit.

This side of the property also leads to an indoor-outdoor game room that opens to a sunken bocce ball court, where family members and invited guests can enjoy the ancient game that resembles shuffleboard or curling, with origins from Egypt, Greece and the Roman Empire.

Here, an existing cork oak tree is left undisturbed, as the eave of the second floor terrace is gracefully notched and curved inward to accommodate the crooked limbs.

Photo 1 of 2 The living room boasts wrap-around views of the Pacific Ocean

Photo 2 of 2 The oval garden lawn below on the western façade of the home

Above The dramatic wooden staircase

Above A circular skylight lets in natural light

Back indoors, the rough-hewn stone walls and honed limestone floors play off the warm tones of the ceiling and spiral wooden staircase that connects to the upper level, where a cosy living room is nestled in a cantilevered plaster volume.

Fitted with a floating wood and steel fireplace, plush sofas and curve-shaped decors, it boasts wrap-around views of the Pacific Ocean in the distant curving coastline while overlooking the trimmed oval garden lawn below on the western façade of the home.

Granite boulders pave the way to the master suite

The master suite has its own private zen-like courtyard

A walled enclave with a Japanese wood soaking tub and a reflecting pool

View of the zen-like courtyard with a cloud-pruned western juniper tree

Photo 1 of 4 Granite boulders pave the way to the master suite

Photo 2 of 4 The master suite has its own private zen-like courtyard

Photo 3 of 4 A walled enclave with a Japanese wood soaking tub and a reflecting pool

Photo 4 of 4 View of the zen-like courtyard with a cloud-pruned western juniper tree

In a separate but interconnected pavilion, granite boulders pave the way to the master suite with metal louvres for walls to provide sun control. Echoing the many spaces of the home, large sliding glass doors open to a private zen-like courtyard with a cloud-pruned western juniper tree.

The walled enclave is equipped with its own Japanese wood soaking tub and a reflecting pool, mirroring the image of the antique Chinese statue in the niche.

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Credits

Photography

Roger Davies

Topics

California Indoor-outdoor Modernist cedar wood

Tatler Asia

Home tour: A midcentury-inspired residence in California accented with a cedar-clad volume