Stone patterns connect indoor/outdoor spaces
For the design of his 3,500-square-foot private residence in Newport Coast, CA, Kap Malik, a Design Principal at Gensler, transformed the inwardly focused space into an indoor/outdoor environment that maximizes California-style living. And, in order to create a smooth transition from the interior to the exterior, over 7,000 square feet of natural stone from Southland Stone USA, Inc. of North Hollywood, CA, was implemented.
According to Malik, the overall design goal of the project was to create an indoor/outdoor setting by using stone patterns that flowed from one space to another. “Lines extend from inside the house to outdoor spaces that terminate at water features, seat walls and fireplaces,” he said.
Another goal was to take a spec home built by Taylor Woodrow and convert it into a custom home, Malik said. “To achieve inside out flow of spaces, we redesigned and rebuilt all floors, countertops, vanities, walls, textures, colors and ceilings,” he explained. “Kitchens and bathrooms were completely redone. Lighting was also designed to further enhance the overall goal of the project. The use of accent and color lighting was used to enhance wall planes and stone and its character at night.”
To meet these design aesthetics, the architect looked to Southland Stone USA, Inc. for stone options. Ultimately, a combination of honed Mocha Creme limestone from Portugal and Kokomo Gold sandstone was implemented for exterior paving in 24- x 24-inch pieces. Exterior walls and columns feature a combination of Indian Red sandstone and Mahogany sandstone, which was also used for benches and pavers. Furthermore, the exterior fireplace and outdoor kitchen area make extensive use of Burma Teak limestone.
Inside the home, the use of Mocha Creme limestone continues as it was used as flooring for the kitchen and living room area. In these spaces, the limestone is accented with pieces of Volga Blue granite. Also, complementing the beige-colored flooring, kitchen countertops were fabricated from slabs of Juparana Gold Classico from Brazil. Furthermore, the master bathroom features slabs of Bordeaux Grizo marble for the vanity tops and tub surround, and the secondary bathroom features slabs of Sea Foam Green granite for the vanity tops.
“Only natural stone was considered to complement the character of the residence,” said Malik. “We were considering slate and limestone as an alternate palette. However, this particular palette was chosen to complement the architectural character of the residence. We were looking for warmth and color characteristics that this particular palette provided.”
“The project shows an amazing use of materials to create the most spectacular effect and ambiance,” said Ravi Johar of Southland Stone USA, Inc. “It is breathtaking to be in the space with all the water features, benches and accents that create the most warm and user-friendly space. The interiors of the house, which is predominantly the Mocha Creme limestone, creates a great sense of space and allows all the other materials and colors to stand out.”
Green Circle Landscapes of Newport Beach, CA, served as the stone installer for the project, which began in February 2007 and finished in June. According to Malik, the project has been well received.
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