Take a minimalist design; materials such as stone, masonry, and glass, and interesting angles and positions for windows, and you have this unique “look” in a one-story home from
Vanguarda Architects. The home, made up basically of a “box,” differentiates spaces within and without by means of clever detail and floor-level glass that helps break up an unrelieved wall of stone here, affording a great backyard “bower” feel there. And, in an area where space is at a premium — note how close neighboring houses are — this solid façade and that glass, give the owners a privacy they wouldn’t have with more traditional style picture windows, or even bay windows at normal levels. Ingeniously enough, the glass also serves as a connector between master suite and outside.
The front entrance is conveniently covered by an overhanging roof; enjoy the surprise of an internal courtyard, its stone patio surface holding a mini-garden of planters, and its presence a neat divider (and a source of light!) between private and public parts of the home. At the back of the house, you’ll find the heart of family gatherings and entertaining: a kitchen, living room, and dining room, illuminated both by the expanses of glass across the back, and by windows off the interior courtyard. Surrounded by climbing green, a pergola shelters the deck with its stone barbecue, a clever reiteration of the front stone wall. This wing of the home also includes guest quarters and a powder room, laundry, and a study. Simplicity itself, with simple materials: that’s CZZ house by Vanguarda.
