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Architect <u><a href="http://www.ruthhasell.com/">Ruth Hasell's</a></u> emphatically modern home in Orange County isn't just a rejection of the phony French castles and wannabe Tuscan villas proliferating in nearby housing developments. It's also her vision of what more homes in Southern California could -- and should -- look like. "I wanted the house to be a vivid reflection of built work that was Californian and a direct response to our time and to this place," she says, "not a dim reflection of a misremembered style from another lifetime and another continent."

By Emily Young

( Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times )

Architect Ruth Hasell's emphatically modern home in Orange County isn't just a rejection of the phony French castles and wannabe Tuscan villas proliferating in nearby housing developments. It's also her vision of what more homes in Southern California could -- and should -- look like. "I wanted the house to be a vivid reflection of built work that was Californian and a direct response to our time and to this place," she says, "not a dim reflection of a misremembered style from another lifetime and another continent."

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bchsiao at 9:06 PM July 10, 2010

Lilian, I gather you must have a rooster and a cornucopia in your kitchen.

Adam, I've been to Idaho - Boise in fact. As if there are a lot of truly stunning architecture there for you to compare to Socal.

Adam Frank at 3:16 PM July 03, 2010

If this house is a vision of the Southern Canifornia lifestyle; I am glad to be living in Idaho.

What the master bedroom needs is a set of iron bars, and it would make any old fashioned

prison green with envy.

The owner of the house seems to be of mature age; hopefully when he/she gets/rolls out of

bed, the strain on the knees is not too severe.

Adam F.

growyoung123 at 4:50 PM June 17, 2010

Ok Lillian,

It's unfortunate you can't appreciate innovative/alternative style and taste. While I respect your predilection for doing over and over what's already been done, do you have to negatively criticize one person's attempt at self-expression with words like "ugly" and "work shed"? Live in the past if you want, while the rest of us move forward. Just don't expect an invitation to dinner anytime soon.

I applaud Ms. Hasell's brave experiment into neo-modernism. Especially audacious considering it's in Orange County. Bravo.