 Story by Richard H. Dodd AIA Photography By Nick Koon
Karen designed a fountain on a French limestone entry wall. It flows from a basin to a small stream that travels the length of a slate entry court to the entry. As you enter the home, you step on a limestone slab across a water threshold through a large, curved glass door. The entry is a two-story-high cultured-stone turret with a two-story waterfall that pours into a moat circling the perimeter of the limestone entry floor. The effect is that of the floor floating on water. Adding to the aquatic atmosphere is a large salt water aquarium with a custom coral reef that is also built into the entry wall.
From the entry, one steps down into a spacious living room with black walnut floors and a cleft limestone fireplace. The living room has a magnificent view directly down the main channel of Huntington Harbour. Otis maximized these views by using large glass doors that slide into a wall. This opens the living room to the limestone patio, which has wrought-iron railings. The kitchen has all imaginable state-of-the-art appliances, as well as a built-in wine room. The new owner said, "I am a water guy from Marina del Rey, and this is a great entertainment house with a great master bedroom." This contemporary-style homo was built in 1994 and replaced the original French provincial-style home with a mansard roof. Otis' architectural creations go far beyond merely drawing plans. "For me architecture goes beyond each individual project," she said. "It is a life- long kind of study, an exploration of the whole notion of architecture, and one that I enjoy tremendously. If I, in my small way, through my work, can help enrich people's day-to-day experience here, and perhaps bring more beauty into their lives, then I will have created architecture with true meaning and timeless spirit."
This article appears in the September, 2006 issue of Orange County Home Magazine. To find out more about Orange County Home Magazine, log onto their website at: |
When architect Karen T. Otis was commissioned to design this waterfront home in Huntington Harbour, she was inspired to maximize the water experience by including unique water features.
Wood steps cantilever from the atone wall leading to the second-level bedrooms. At the top of the entry is a large round skylight, which opens up to a roof garden and observation deck on the third level.
