Clean lines and clear views
Michael FAULCONER wanted a home with big views and lots of breathing room. Never mind that the Ventura location he chose was a steep, rocky slope requiring 15 steel caissons sunk 60 feet into the earth to support his dream house.
The steel-and-glass, three-bedroom Modern structure that resulted -- with floor-to-ceiling windows and a 270-degree view that includes Point Mugu, the Channel Islands and the Conejo Grade -- was worth the construction challenges, the architect said.
“I attempted to get all the senses fired up with the ocean views and the smell of the sea and chaparral,” Faulconer said of his magnum opus perched 700 feet above sea level. “When you’re outside here, you can take it all in.”
About this house: In addition to the classic Modern-style design features of clean lines and minimal ornamentation, Faulconer took pains to incorporate green elements into the construction.
They include a hydronic heating system; passive air-conditioning based on window cross-ventilation; bathroom tile made of recycled glass; kitchen countertops made of reconstituted materials; and wood products from forests certified to practice controlled cutting and replanting.
Best of all, the house was designed so that “each room has views,” Faulconer said. It’s situated at a level so the tops of surrounding trees don’t impede vistas. “I play the piano, and when I’m sitting there, I see the ocean and islands and feel very serene.”
Features: The two-story home has an open floor plan incorporating the kitchen, dining and living rooms and piano corner; professional kitchen appliances; a media room; a home office; a dumbwaiter; storage space under the stairs; a roof deck plus three large decks adjacent to the living spaces; dual-glazed windows; two hot-water collectors that preheat the house’s water, including that needed for the radiant heating system; a compact fluorescent and low-volt lighting system; and solar shades.
Asking price: $2,275,000
Size: The 3,024-square-foot house has three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms on a 5,862-square-foot lot.
Where: 465 Mint Lane, Ventura.
Listing agent: Jeff Roundy, Realty Executives Coastal Cities, Ventura. (805) 701-0653. For a virtual tour, visit www.oceanviews4ever.com.
To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send high-resolution photos with caption info on a CD and a description of the house to Ruth Ryon, Real Estate Section, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012. Send questions to homeoftheweek@latimes.com.