There’s something mesmerizing and calming about being able to look out your windows or off of your terrace and absorb the view. This ability to use the surrounding natural environment as a focal point is exactly what McClean Design specializes in – that and contemporary aesthetics with an emphasize on texture, natural materials, large expanses of glazings – and the much sought after indoor/outdoor lifestyle.
Located in California, McClean Design has a strong focus on environmentally sustainable design practices. With their extensive experience in Orange and Los Angeles counties, they have become very adept at navigating complicated approval processes, balancing the needs of the local zoning bylaws with that of the clients’ wish lists. It is a complicated navigation but the end results are spectacular homes that fulfill their clients’ every wish.
Blue Jay Way is a prime example of the amazing indoor/outdoor lifestyle that McClean Design is able to create for their clients. This outdoor terrace not only overlooks an unbelievable panoramic vista of the city below, but the design has carefully incorporated a shade ceiling as protection against the hot summer sun or a downpour of rain.
Aside from a cozy alfresco dining area, Blue Jay Way also has an infinity pool on the edge of the terrace with lounge seating and an outdoor fire pit. The outdoor lights recessed into the covered areas repeat the pattern on the ceilings within the home, blurring the line between what is, and is not, outdoors.
As day turns to evening the recessed lighting repeats the pin points of light from the city below creating a continuum of view that connects the up close and personal with the distant and far removed.
Blue Jay Way is designed with two same level volumes that create a separation between the social and private zones by creating a water feature that runs between the two structures, bordered by walkways and connected by a covered bridge. The covered bridge also acts like a picture frame to the views clearly visible in the distance.
Since the clients cannot live on views and outdoor lifestyles alone, McClean Design has not forgotten the interior zones – the kitchen is a stunning example of what any chef could hope for. With an abundance of storage and prep space, the white cabinetry and waterfall edged counter on the island are in stark contrast to the charcoal cabinetry against the walls. The clean lines of all the cabinetry are broken up by the soft padded sections on the stools. It is a story of opposing but complimentary finishes that revolve around an amazing pendant and while it may be a chef’s kitchen, it is also an awesome place to hang out at any time of day.
Hollywood Hills Home is another example of a McClean Design home that overlooks the sparkling city vistas below. Positioned very close to the road, the architects made sure to present a private, quiet facade to the street with only a small strip of easy to maintain vegetation and strategically placed landscape lighting acting as a foil to the windowless walls of the building.
The touches of greenscaping at the front of the structure are carried through to the back with a small section of lawn positioned between the home and the pool.
The green of the lawn and the blue of the pool create a modern geo-style color blocking effect when viewed from both the terrace and the home’s interior.
The geo-style continues with the gas fire pit – sparkling within the glass pebbles used to create the false ash bed beneath the fire. The fire pit is enclosed in a rectangular box with sides wide enough to sit on or place a drink or plate of food on. This terrace would make it exceedingly difficult to spend any time indoors!
As serene as the outdoor setting is, so too is the indoor aesthetic. The social zone is surrounded on two sides by floor to ceiling glazings and the coffee table has much the same effect as the fire pit outdoors – that of creating a place for family and guests to congregate, socialize and enjoy life.
What a beautiful place to view the sunset, what a beautiful way to end the day.
Sunset Strip House – as its name suggests – is positioned to take full advantage of the sunset. With a view of not just the city but the ocean as well, the home’s infinity pool has the effect of connecting with the sea and turning the city into an island between the two. It’s a surreal vista that is punctuated by a modern art abstracted sculpture of a pair of hands holding up a monocle to enhance the majestic surroundings.
The entry to Sunset Strip House is like a walk in the park. Large polished pavers, separated from each other with grass grouting, lead the way to a flight of slow stairs lit on each riser in 3 locations before heading up to a deep and wide porch. One could continue to and through the front door – or one could take the walkway and head straight for the terrace out back, all the while enjoying the reflective qualities of the water feature flanking you on the right.
The reflections within the water feature are exaggerated by the pale veining within the dark slabs of marble overlooking it.
This same marble is a focal point in the bar area of the social zone – that and the view, of course.
Sunset Strip House is a two-story structure with the social zone on the main level to take advantage of the connectivity to the outdoor areas. The private zones are upstairs and both volumes are completely clad in glazings so that no matter where you are, the views go with you.
Tananger House also features large polished pavers with grass grouting, but rather then featuring a dark marble with pale veining, Tananger is all about white and grey. Even the steel sculpture is a moment of grey that compliments the veining in its marble backdrop.
Inside Tananger, the color story continues with a pure white bar flanked by white and stainless steel bar stools, and sofas upholstered in the same deep grey tonality as the marble slabs within the walls.
Outside on the terrace is the only place where color is added via the infinity pool, the city and ocean beyond as well as the sky above.
McClean Design located the master suite of Tananger at the far end of the home, separate from and yet still connected to the social zones. Both the master suite and the social zones are just a few feet away from the infinity pool, making it easy to take a quick dip at the end of – or beginning of – each day.
While enjoying a swim in the pool the homeowners can keep an eye on the game or follow a movie thanks to the prime location of the outdoor TV.
At night, when the lights within the pool are on the water glows brilliant turquoise – this is definitely a room for sweet dreams.
McClean Design
