NZ Renovation Trends NZ Renovation Trends Vol. 30/11 | Page 31

screens to divide the living area from the entry,” says Mut. “These are double screens with custom patterns cut by a laser water jet. They are backlit with LED lighting, so they are especially decorative at night.” But one of the biggest changes is the improved connection with the outdoors. The original 4.5m opening to the pool terrace was extended to 8.2m. Huge pocket doors slide out of sight within the walls, so the living room appears to be part of one enormous terrace. “The weather in Southern California allows us to enjoy the outdoors all year round, so the entire house was reoriented to maximise this,” the builder says. “We also painted all the walls and ceilings white so they would reflect the light and reinforce the resort ambience.” Even the kitchen was moved from its original position at the rear of the house. This room is now at one end of the living space, and the entire corner opens up to the sunny terrace and the pool. “We chose a galley-style kitchen with a long island and bar stools,” says Mut. “It’s a very social space, well suited to entertaining. A short feature wall separating the kitchen from the dining room is clad in porcelain tiles that resemble natural stone. These were chosen to resist the heat given off by the double-sided fireplace in the wall. Having this fireplace means these two rooms are not completely isolated – you can catch a glimpse of what’s happening on the other side.” But it’s not just the public areas that were the focus of attention for the remodel. search | save | share at trendsideas.com 29