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      OWIU creates tranquil environment in renovated LA home

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      California studio OWIU has revamped the interior of a 1950s home, adding elements that were inspired by traditional Japanese inns to create a peaceful environment.

      The 1,516-square-foot (141-square-metre) house, called Palmero, sits within the San Rafael Hills in LA’s Mount Washington neighbourhood.
      On the exterior, OWIU applied smooth, tan stuccoThe single-storey residence was bought as an investment property by actor Kane Lim and was sold last month following a renovation by local studio OWIU, which stands for The Only Way Is Up.
      Originally built in 1955, the dwelling looks toward the city skyline in the distance.
      OWIU designed the home, which overlooks the city skyline”We were drawn to the home’s seclusion from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles,” said Joel Wong, who leads OWIU with Amanda Gunawan.

      When the designers embarked on the mid-century renovation project, the house was in rough shape, with soiled carpets, degraded flooring and broken windows, among other issues.
      It is a mid-century renovation projectThe designers aimed to transform the neglected home into “a refuge of calm” by drawing upon the landscape and using neutral elements that would help quiet the mind.
      “If you go in strong with design, it energizes you quickly and then promptly dies out,” said Gunawan.
      Palmero takes cues from traditional Japanese inns”Much of our design leans toward the ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, enabling us to achieve a visceral effect,” she added.
      On the exterior, the designers applied smooth, tan stucco. To create a more open atmosphere within, they removed several non-load-bearing walls and false ceilings and reconfigured part of the layout to create a main bedroom suite.
      Earthy colours give the home an organic feelEarthy colours like terracotta and beige – and materials such as light-toned oak flooring – give the home an organic feel.
      In certain rooms, walls are clad in Venetian plaster. The designers said that this material “brings the delicate texture of the surrounding mountains into the home”.
      Original wooden beams and panels were sanded down, revealing the natural colour.
      The kitchen has quartzite countertopsIn the kitchen, one finds quartzite countertops and oak cabinets, along with an island made of glass blocks. The same material was used for a partition separating the living area from a bathroom, creating privacy without obstructing flow.
      The designers noted that the glass bricks – which are structurally strong while still enabling the passage of light – are often associated with “a period of garish flash from the ’80s”.
      Retro glass bricks feature in the interior design”OWIU sought to restore the material to its original glamour and refigure what might otherwise be considered obsolete,” the team said.
      To furnish the house, the designers worked with the vintage collector Jullie Nguyen of LA’s Ban Ban Studio.
      Vintage collector Jullie Nguyen assisted on the projectNotable pieces include a modular sofa by Vladimir Kagan and a 1980s Hexa coffee table by Bernard Vuarnesson, both of which date to the 1980s.
      Lighting fixtures include three lamps by Isamu Noguchi and several George Nelson pendants.

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      “These pieces brought a distinctly modern-yet-practical touch to the home while remaining in harmony with the existing architecture and new design elements,” the team said.
      Beyond the interior, the studio reimagined the backyard by creating a sculptural, poured-concrete terrace and a custom bench around a fire pit.
      A small wooden desk takes cues from a platform in a Zen gardenMoreover, the studio added a small wooden deck off the main bedroom that is meant to evoke a platform in a Zen garden. It also takes cues from tea ceremony rooms found in ryokans.
      “The step down leads, almost imperceptibly, into the garden, easing the home dweller into the natural space,” the designers said, noting that the yard features bonsai and maple trees.
      “The action is so unassuming that one might forget this step after the routine of living, but this is precisely the goal: a ritualized transition into calming spaces.”
      Japanese ryokans informed the design of Palmero houseOther projects by OWIU include a renovated apartment in an old factory in downtown LA, which features Japanese design elements that encourage “a mindful lifestyle”.
      The photography is by Justin Chung.
      Project credits:
      Designer and builder: OWIUDesign team: Joel Wong, Amanda Gunawan, Claudia Wainer, Nathan Lin, Bonnie Wong and Leo Yang

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      The Brooklyn Home Company designs Passivhaus in Brooklyn

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      American studio The Brooklyn Home Company has designed a Brooklyn townhouse using Passivhaus principles in New York’s Carroll Gardens neighbourhood.The Sackett Street townhouse comprises four storeys as well as a rooftop with views of the Manhattan skyline, along with a basement and a drive-in garage.

      The four-storey townhouse has views of the Manhattan skyline
      Stairs from an outside decking area lead to a back garden, and a private terrace is accessed from the main bedroom.
      Passivhaus is a recognised European energy standard for homes that require minimal energy to heat or cool and promote high indoor air quality.

      The Sackett Street townhouse’s back garden

      For the townhouse project, The Brooklyn Home Company used an energy recovery ventilation (ERV) filtration system.
      “The air quality brings health and cognitive benefits that the developer believes will become the new standard for home building in New York City,” co-founder of The Brooklyn Home Company William Caleo told Dezeen.
      “The homes also maintain humidity levels to prevent virus spread, which is common in both dry and cold weather. In short, our opinion is it’s the best way to build new homes,” he said.

      A living room leads to the back garden
      Adopting Passivhaus principles addresses two of society’s greatest threats, argued William Caleo.
      “As society grapples with not only the current public-health crisis but the reality of climate change, builders and home designers are using Passivhaus design as an alternative technique in the wake of Covid-19.”

      The house’s walls are painted in white Farrow and Ball paint
      William Caleo and his sister Lyndsay Caleo Karol worked closely with his sister’s husband, Fitzhugh Karol, the studio’s in-house artist, to design the interiors.
      Madera white oak hardwood floors and walls painted with white Farrow and Ball paint were chosen to create a “bright and airy” home.

      A hand-crafted bed by Fitzhugh Karol in the main bedroom
      Hand-crafted pieces of furniture designed by Fitzhugh Karol include the wooden four-poster bed in the main bedroom.

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      Other one-of-a-kind pieces include a bespoke dining table and a dresser, and the elegant twin beds in the children’s room were also made bespoke for the property.

      The twin beds in the children’s bedroom were made especially for the house
      The townhouse’s open-plan kitchen is a mixture of exposed beams and custom built-in wood, also designed by Fitzhugh Karol. A reclaimed ceiling by The Brooklyn Home Company hangs overhead.
      These rustic features are offset with sleek Pietra Cardosa countertops and a range cooker by La Cornue. Hardware fixtures by Waterworks and Restoration Hardware tie the space together.

      The property’s kitchen is a mix of rustic and polished features
      Selected artwork is also integral to the townhouse’s interior atmosphere. A notable piece is Tyler Hays of BDDW’s painting of a woman, made of puzzle pieces, which hangs in the dining room.
      Artistworks by Jen Wink Hays, Paule Morrot and Caleb Marcus Cain also decorate townhouse’s light and open rooms.

      Artist Tyler Hays’ puzzle painting adds depth to the dining room’s white walls
      The Brooklyn Home Company has recently launched 25 new homes also built according to Passivhaus principles across two Brooklyn developments in South Slope and Greenwood Heights.

      More Passivhaus projects outside of Europe include the upcoming 1075 Nelson Street skyscraper in Vancouver, designed by UK studio WKK Architects. When completed, it will be the world’s tallest Passivhaus building to date.
      Photography is by Matthew Williams and Travis Mark.

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