Contemporary serenity in Bel-Air
A sweeping view of the Getty Center and the Santa Monica Mountains can be seen from a contemporary home in Bel-Air that features a passive green design.
The work of Hermosa Beach architect Patrick Killen, the L-shaped house takes advantage of its southwest exposure with an 8-foot overhang around the perimeter, letting sunlight in to heat the space in winter and creating shade in the summer. The house replaces a mid-century structure.
“We wanted a contemporary house that’s warm, light and open,” says Paul Tucker, a retired executive who owns the house with his wife, Anke. “The views here are spectacular, and the property is very private. You can’t see any of your neighbors from the rooms.”
The front door opens to a living room that looks out onto the backyard, a pool and entertainment deck and patio. A storage space off the living room serves as a wine closet.
A wine rack doubles as a partition between the dining room and a hallway that leads to a half-bath and the family room. On the other side of the hall is a pantry and Bulthaup kitchen, which features a bar island with an extension for entertaining, and German cabinetry and countertops in shades of gray.
Off the family room is a full bathroom with a door to the pool area.
The master bedroom includes a closet with a built-in refrigerator and mini-bar setup, a walk-in master closet with a center island of drawers and a storage wall with a pass-through to the laundry room. The master bathroom features a walk-in shower with multiple shower heads and a spa tub.
A guest bedroom with a separate entrance is on the other side of the laundry room, with a bathroom and closet.
The open floor plan uses tile and hardwood flooring to delineate the various rooms without walls. The exterior’s Mangaris manufactured-wood siding is echoed in tone by the straight-grain Douglas fir ceiling and wall accents inside.
A floating staircase leads to the second floor, which has two bedrooms and a shared bath. One of the rooms, currently used as an office, has a cutout in the wall that offers views through the family room windows.
To submit a candidate for Home of the Week, send high-resolution color photos with caption and credit information on a CD and a detailed description of the house to Lauren Beale, Business, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., CA 90012. Questions may be sent to homeoftheweek@latimes.com.