Strata House

KOVAC

Short description

Set on a promontory in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains, Strata House preserves the site's rich history through contemporary form and finishes. A battered stone base references the site's longtime evolution and provides a foundation for the home's glass-walled pavilion, a vestige from a past life when the site was home to a 1960s structure designed by Modernist architect John B. Parkin. Two delicate cantilevers clad in Shou Sugi Ban rest atop the volumes below, representative of its current reimagining as a contemporary family home. Throughout the home's interior, Sahara Noir marble and brass accents were used as a golden, connecting thread to weave together past and present.

In designing both the structure and interiors, our goal was to craft a dwelling that would honor the site's mid-century pedigree while marking a new chapter better suited to its current owners. Spacious areas give way to moments of warmth and intimacy within the house, which bridges the roles of family home and venue for entertaining. Materials and colors of a former era are updated through the considered layering of rich finishes and textures, perhaps most clearly seen in the home's pavilion space, which features a sunken conversation pit and intimate seating areas with reupholstered vintage Groovy and Ribbon Chairs by Pierre Paulin, vintage Eileen Gray Occasional Tables, and vintage Djinn Chairs by Olivier Mourgue, all grounded by custom shag rugs.

Channeling the eternal allure of mid-century glamor, the bar reflects our clients’ love for entertaining. An era-defining vintage Sputnik pendant is the crown jewel of this space, which is flanked by a lustrous brass latticework screen. Bar stools by Astele in sumptuous leather and a round mirrored ceiling are timeless additions. Steps away, the dining room features custom CNC-milled walnut wall paneling, Gino Sarfatti pendants, and a bespoke dining table.