157
RIGHT & BELOW: As victims of a California wildfire, these homeowners left for work
one day and came back to find their house completely gone. They were starting
over with literally nothing, and we recreated a home for them centirely f rom scratch.
Natural materials were a major influence, with warm woods providing the base for
the kitchen. Putting the wine f ridge on the side of the island is a clever use of space.
This was unlike any other project I've done, and it was heartwarming to turn such a
horrible event into something beautiful for their family.
FACING PAGE: My 1970s-era home in La Jolla has a midcentury modern vibe, but
we updated the closed-in floorplan so that the kitchen and living room could be
connected. I love natural stones and woods, so I chose a limestone floor and rift oak
cabinets with two different stains. The countertops and backsplash are a natural
quartzite stone with a honed finish. The fireplace is positioned between the kitchen
and living room and was originally faced with white cinder block. It is certainly the
focal point of the space, so we widened it on either side and faced it with large-
format black porcelain tile, then hung a large chandelier by Visual Comfort in
f ront to brighten it up. A rolling island in the middle of the kitchen has so many
uses, including holding cheese platters and being rolled into the living room while
entertaining.
Photographs by Micah Trostle, Trostle Films
Interiors by Designers i, San Diego, CA, page 385
