Resort style: one family shows how to bring the vacation home

Sunset, Sept, 2004 by Mary Jo Bowling

Architect Robert Glazier fell in love with hotels while working as a busboy at a Sheraton. "It was a place where the environment was relaxed and people came to have fun," he says. Thirty years later, his love affair is still going strong, as he and business partner John Hill create luxury resorts around the world. Robert has brought the spirit of some of their best work--which includes the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kona, Hawaii, and Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica--to his own home on a modest lot in Palo Alto, California.

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That's not to say the 2,200-square-foot house looks like a grand resort. It's actually a contemporary take on Spanish colonial revival, inspired by examples Robert and his wife, Kelli, admire in the area, such as the old police station and the post office in downtown Palo Alto. But the Glaziers wanted to avoid an artificial, theme park look. "You can't really re-create something from the past," he says. "You end up with something that's just trying to look old. You can design something that's sympathetic to history, but totally new."

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The white stucco walls, dark floors, central entry courtyard, and tile roof are reminiscent of a traditional Mediterranean house. Making it contemporary are the openness--the first floor is essentially one large space--a sculptural staircase, large windows, and simple moldings.

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Kelli, an artist, reinforced the house's spa-like serenity with a mix of comfortable, clean-lined furniture and straightforward, rustic pieces in a subdued color palette. Vivid splashes of color come from the tropical plants outside--the large windows put them on display. "At first, our plan was to bring in wild, colorful artwork," says Kelli. "We brought some home, and we just couldn't live with it. It's more soothing this way." In other words, the plants and blossoms become the artwork.

In this house, the personal touches--such as pots, furniture, and art picked up on the couple's travels--add soul. And the way each room feels like a retreat makes visitors wonder where they can check in.

DESIGN: Robert Glazier, Hill Glazier Architects, Palo Alto, CA (www.hillglazier.com or 650/617-0366)

LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Andrew Glazier, Wild West Gardens, Livermore, CA (www.wildwestgardens.com or 510/828-4302)

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RELATED ARTICLE: Fresh air

A balcony draped in bougainvillea and dotted with potted geraniums accents the entry courtyard. Robert and Kelli Glazier and daughter Beau spend much of their time there and on the rear patio (right). The garden doorway and glass-bottle vases add to the sense of calm.

RELATED ARTICLE: Attention to detail

* Beau Glazier's room is enlivened by colorful pennants. Kelli jazzed up white curtains by sewing on bright pompoms.

* Fern-lined limestone pavers bend toward a Buddha statue.

* Robert designed the stair landing to function as a library. The books also act as a sound buffer.

* The staircase's geometry is accentuated by chocolate brown stain.

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RELATED ARTICLE: Nature and nurture

* The long front courtyard wall becomes a canvas for the branching patterns of a creeping fig. Olive trees and rosemary reinforce the Mediterranean ambience.

* A square fountain surrounded by colorful succulents makes the entry courtyard resemble a Spanish garden.

* The quiet, neutral color palette of the living room acts as a foil for bright floral accents.

* In the kitchen, the clean lines, symmetrical organization, connection to nature, and two-tone color palette contribute to the relaxing feeling.

For resources, see page 143.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY THOMAS J. STORY