DIGS is the premiere luxury real estate lifestyle magazine serving the most affluent neighborhoods in the South Bay and Westside of Los Angeles, California.
Issue link: https://www.southbaydiggs.com/i/1272119
60 DIGS.NET | 7.24.2020 M A R K E T S W E E T D I G S | 1 8 0 4 W E N D Y W AY minimalist's counter of rugged cherry wood that's poised dramatically against a sun-streaked wall of black anthracite. The heart of the home is found in its mellow great room, where distinct lounging, dining and kitchen spaces seem to expand by way of oversized windows, plus a folding wall of glass that connects the inte- rior seamlessly to the outdoors. "When you're in the kitchen you can still be part of what's happening outside," describes Umansky Benton. Speaking of, the well-styled kitchen is notable for not immedi- ately announcing itself as such: There's a floating bar, clad in walnut, that gives the kitchen a gallery-like effect; particularly at night when soft, built-in lights glow. So does the well-chosen collection of sleek appliances that meld discreetly into wall and counters. "I don't like the kitchen to be the focal space when you walk in the front door," Studds explains. Windows and porcelain tiles, patterned smartly with squares, make up the backsplash, since the designer placed cabinets mostly out of sight, situated along the lower portion of the room. The floors are polished concrete, enhanc- ing the home's current look of elegance, and further minimizing contrast between the indoors and the tidy outdoor lounge that lies just beyond: This is a tranquil place to work by day or enter- tain in the evening. Guests can gather along the built-in benchwork and earthy firepit—both made of concrete, poured-in place. It's a sculp- tural setting that's further enhanced by a cascading water feature, also concrete with slender spillways of steel. The latter is a material used copiously in the construction of the home and featured in various structural and decorative features, adding to its strong, forever feel. A green lawn and boutique of plants and trees further dress up this tucked-away oasis that's nicely shrouded from neighbors by way of foliage and a fence. For even more al fresco living, one can climb the exterior, wood-plank staircase to find another stage showcasing Studds' design: a rooftop deck stocked with lifestyle niceties, notably a bathroom and an outdoor kitchen. It's a liberat- ing space, private with plentiful views of blue sky and leafy treetops. Part of the deck is sheltered with open beams, offering protection from the sun while still bolstering an open-air feel. "He's thought of everything in each of the spaces," Umansky Benton says of the designer. Even the rooftop bath- room has been sized to accommodate washing a dog, she points out with a chuckle: "Who thinks about that?"