Award-winning interiors

Sunset, Feb, 1998 by Ann Bertelsen, Peter O. Whiteley, Daniel Gregory

When the California North Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers asked us to cosponsor a design competition, we decided it was an opportunity we couldn't miss. So we launched the first-ever ASID-Sunset Design West Awards (replacing our own interior awards program). The judging took place in September. Our report showcases the winners in the residential categories.

Almost 200 professional designers from throughout the West participated in the competition, and 13 Stellar Awards were given. The coveted Stellar Award is an ASID recognition of excellence in design. It's not given lightly; the judges even chose not to give Stellar Awards in some categories. Kitchens and bathrooms were strongly represented, and the judges had such a tough time selecting an outright winner in bathroom design that they decided to split the award and give it to two outstanding projects. They also awarded special citations to three projects they felt deserved recognition.

Drama in the details

* This project won praise from the jury for seamlessly inserting a contemporary, late-1990s aesthetic into a 1970s architectural framework. The original Joseph Esherick-designed house had good bones: the windows, roof plane, circulation plan, and fireplaces were retained. Homeowner Sandra Slater turned to Fu Tung Cheng to enrich and update her living, dining, and kitchen areas with new colors, forms, and textures.

Cheng, who favors a spare but luxurious palette of natural materials and treats each detail like a piece of abstract sculpture, added two new elements to his design vocabulary for this commission: movement and sound. Every eight seconds a shallow wave of water pulses slowly down a copper trough in the 5-foot-high, 22-foot-long concrete entrance wall of the living room. The water sheets down an incline and gurgles into a reservoir next to the main stairway in the split-level room.

The muted mauve, celadon, and wheat hues of the integrally colored plaster walls in the living and dining rooms and the subtle relationships between different materials (especially in the kitchen, shown in photo at far left) give the remodel a Zen-like character. The rough, mottled-green Chinese slate tiles used in the backsplash contrast with the smooth, agate-green glass tiles around the food-preparation sink, and the satin sheen of a stainless steel counter complements the shimmer of the coarsely textured, cone-shaped, stainless steel hood. The ebony-stained hardwood floors contrast with the risers, which are clear maple for visibility.

One juror summed up the designer's achievement: "The design brings out the essential qualities of the house and fuses them with a new drama."

* Designer: (510) 849-3272

Maritime modern

* In the heart of California's bustling Manhattan Beach, this 2,292-square-foot house is organized around a three-story, glass-encased stair tower facing the street. The house wowed the judges with its space-efficient design and use of natural light. "In our approach to the interiors, we borrowed ideas from boat design, in which every element is carefully scaled and, by necessity, designed with function and storage in mind," says architect Michael Hricak.

Indeed, the architects even organized the house like a ship: sleeping quarters are on the second floor, while the main "saloon," or gathering space - in this case an 1,800-square-foot loft - is on the top floor where the view is. The loft is wrapped in windows, like a lighthouse. The translucent stair tower links the house to the street. During the day, it acts as a source of natural light, filtering the sun into the rooms that cluster around it; at night, it serves as a "lantern" to the neighborhood. The judges applauded the way in which the furnishings and architecture worked hand in glove to produce a unified form. The architects worked with Tricia Miller Interior Design.

* Architect: (310) 823-4220

Personal style

* This vibrant kitchen, which was remodeled for a homeowner who likes to bake, proves that opposites attract. It combines the warm, homey, Mediterranean appearance of terra-cotta-colored walls, whitewashed tiles (used along the backsplash), and glass-fronted cabinets with high-tech touches such as sleek stainless steel appliances and drawer pulls. The judges liked this diverse and refreshingly individualistic approach to design. "It really reflects the personality of its owner rather than any specific style," commented one juror.

The kitchen uses color with verve. The bright periwinkle blue cabinets are focal points. "The blue wasn't an easy color to arrive at," says designer Jean Cain. "we had to keep adding glazes; it took about six coats to get it right." Previously the large center island had a cooktop, but there was no room to rest pots and pans. So the cooktop was relocated to the opposite counter, and the island - with a new granite surface - now is a workstation where the owner prepares pastries. The long stainless steel drawer pulls were specifically chosen to match the handles on the oven and the microwave. Such attention to detail, coupled with an adventurous approach to color and texture, won the jury's praise.