64 DIGS.NET
| 9.3.2021
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R E S T O R E D | E YR C
HILE IT'S NOT without its gray days, the beauty
of Southern California lies its temperate climate.
So, too, while it's also not without its gray moments,
the beauty of family is in being together. Creating
a home that celebrates these two things was the
aim of this two story, four bedroom, four and a half bath Santa
Monica home, designed by LA-based architecture firm Ehrlich
Yanai Rhee Chaney (EYRC). "We practice what we call Califor-
nia Modernism," says EYRC partner Takashi Yanai, who's also
the firm's Residential Studio Director, "This approach entails
celebrating the roots of Modernism — including the connection
to the outdoors, the tranquility of simplicity and the beauty of
craft — and tailors it closely to the particular site."
The family — he's a high-powered attorney, she works from
home, they have two teenage children — wanted a place for
rest and reflection that would be a welcoming and rejuvenat-
ing retreat from the chaotic demands of work and school. "He
wanted a great yard. She wanted a great room," says Yanai.
Having the architecture serve as a backdrop for living, with a
very clean and minimal palette, is important in EYRC's residen-
tial design work. Here, the layout spoke directly to the family's
needs. "Since they practice togetherness, not hanging out in
separate rooms, they were looking for a blended family space
with indoor-outdoor connections," Yanai shares, "They were also
interested in Scandinavian and Japanese design influences
which pairs well with the emphasis on indoor-outdoor living."
W
