<b>A smart family home on so many levels</b> - latimes.com

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Santa Monica architect <a href="http://www.bornarch.com">Jesse Bornstein</a> solved the dilemma of a sloping lot with a split-plane design that uses half-flights of stairs to keep the house free-flowing yet divided into distinct rooms. The result embodies what so many Southern Californians seek: more living space without the McMansion effect; light-filled rooms that feel connected to the outdoors yet still private; and a modern look that comes off as neither cold nor industrial. Here, a look down the open stairwell that serves as the spine of the house.

Bornstein house

( Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times )

Santa Monica architect Jesse Bornstein solved the dilemma of a sloping lot with a split-plane design that uses half-flights of stairs to keep the house free-flowing yet divided into distinct rooms. The result embodies what so many Southern Californians seek: more living space without the McMansion effect; light-filled rooms that feel connected to the outdoors yet still private; and a modern look that comes off as neither cold nor industrial. Here, a look down the open stairwell that serves as the spine of the house.

More...

• Inside the Bornstein home

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