A Hillside Home 14 Years in the Making
Locating the ideal site was simple for architect Charles Debbas. Designing an equally ideal house to fit on it was a harder matter. Debbas didn’t want his new home, perched from the Oakland Hills across the bay from San Francisco, to feel alienated in the hillside. So he sank it to the plot, allowing for flat yards and outdoor spaces on each floor.
Western vulnerability makes for a gorgeous bay view however means a massive area of the home is vulnerable to the elements. Debbas used durable, man-made substances to keep the exterior of the house relatively maintenance free.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Charles Debbas, his wife and two sons
Location: Berkeley, California
Size: 3,200 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 baths
That’s intriguing: Debbas purchased this great deal 14 years before he built on it.
Charles Debbas Architecture
The exterior of the home is made from sustainable, man-made substances that require little maintenance — just a good power wash every year. The cement and resin fiberboard can also be flame resistant — a good feature for all these dry and windy California hills. The fiberboard is designed to look like wood, which provides the modern design a warm texture.
Charles Debbas Architecture
Debbas made the home so it sinks down to the plot, allowing for views of the bay out of the street and making the house feel more integrated with its surroundings.
Charles Debbas Architecture
Debbas’ aesthetic inspiration came in the simplicity of modern Japanese and Scandinavian design. “Rooted in minimalism, it also highlights the use of natural light, passive solar design, easy substances and form, as well as quiet and eloquent detailing,” he states.
Charles Debbas Architecture
Inside, Debbas made the interior so the home revolved around the existence of light. The numerous windows and skylights allow the look of the home to be consistently redefined from dawn to night.
Charles Debbas Architecture
This curved window slit, which is situated right over the fireplace in the living room, manipulates the impact of this light in the home.
Charles Debbas Architecture
Beech woodwork, black-stained Brazilian cherry flooring and warm colours mix up the look on the interior, including warmth and light in sudden places.
Charles Debbas Architecture
“After the house was completed, the furniture found itself,” states Debbas. Closets and other storage pieces are built in, so that he desired only a few statement bits to pull the remainder of the home together. Sofas and a dining table out of B&B Italia, Maharam upholstery and Zanotti seats represent the architect’s modern style.
Charles Debbas Architecture
Light out of a window on the western side reflects off the white counters and custom glass backsplash in the kitchen.
Originally, Debbas drawn up at least two additional homes for the space, but neither felt quite right. “This design and its own sketches came about 10 minutes,” he states. “The last job is like those sketches.”
Charles Debbas Architecture
The family room at the base floor is just one of Debbas’ favorites. It is sunken to the site, and the backyard extends straight from its door to the exterior. The lawn — surrounded by olive trees, honeysuckle and oaks — supplies a sense of closeness with a few peeks at the beautiful view.
Charles Debbas Architecture
Each door has been individually made and pivots to open and shut. Decks simply outside are tiled with ceramic slats designed to look like wood. Like the exterior’s fiberboard, the ceramic generates the warmth of wood, without the maintenance.
Charles Debbas Architecture
The glass doors and windows on the back side of the home open completely to associate with the outdoors. Interior railings were installed on the top levels for security.
Charles Debbas Architecture
“At night we sleep with the windows wide open, loving the entire bay view uninterrupted along with the fragrant honeysuckle I planted along the entire back fence,” states Debbas.
Pictures: Cesar Rubio and Nic Lehoux