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This objective is illustrated in architect Hal Walter's design for his own home. The building takes advantage of the lay of the land, facing into a tree-filled valley. To capture both the sun and the view, one side of the house is predominantly glass. The kitchen is on this side of the home, and it looks out into the valley over the terraced outdoor living space.
The kitchen design follows the minimalist style of the rest of the home and also incorporates a hint of the exterior structure.
"I'm interested in the elegance of minimalism," says Walter, "and in integrating interiors with exteriors."
These concepts can be seen in the use of the external render for some of the kitchen walls and in the simple lines of the countertops and cabinetry. The mix of materials reinforces the simplicity of the look and creates a color scheme of cool tones warmed by wood.
"The materials were selected to create a balance between function and appearance, with elements such as the limestone tiles being used to soften the look," says Walter.
Two areas of dark tiles, one at each end of the main countertop, provide smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces that help define the space and also contrast with the rendered surface. The counter and island are both topped with stainless steel that finishes flush with the cabinetry, so there is no overhang to clutter the lines of the kitchen. White oak veneer and rendered plasterboard were combined in the construction of the island, which features a bar for entertaining guests in the kitchen.
The cabinetry continues this uncluttered design, with recessed handles leaving the surface of the cabinets undisturbed. The pantry, storage cupboards and fridge alcove are all lined with the veneer, creating a continuous wall of oak. The veneer also contributes to warming the look of the space, as do the uplights positioned in the open cubicles above a row of cupboards. The only break in the view afforded by the wall of glass is due to the kitchen's backsplash. Made from sand-blasted glass, this still lets through plenty of light but is easier to keep clean than standard glass.
The spare simplicity of a Japanese haiku poem is a search for perfection in the imagery of words. Finding the simple beauty in the clean lines of stone and glass was the goal for architect Hal Walter in designing his own bathroom. "I like to have a rich combination of a small number of materials, which I use throughout the house," says Walter. "The unpolished finish of the limestone has a lot of texture and is very warm." Light and air flow throughout the home. Sliding glass walls, Walter's modern take on shoji screens, allow light through from the double-height living room, while full length sliding-glass doors open from the bathroom and bedroom onto the deck. Because the house is on a steep slope and the bathroom is on the top floor, privacy is not a problem.
Reinforcing the airy design is the freestanding wall between the bedroom and bath, which is open on both ends and has no doors. A translucent glass panel gives privacy to the toilet area, shielding it from the passageway. A similar panel on the shower door screens it from the toilet, while its other wall is clear glass facing the view outside.
Walter says the focal points of the bathroom are the sink and vanity. Sitting on two limestone pedestals, the American oak vanity seems to float in space, independent of the mirrored wall behind. The curved stainless steel sink is recessed beneath the limestone slab, which looks as though it could slide closed above the basin.
"I liked the simple geometric curve of the basin related to the rectangular planes of stone and timber," he says. "There is a good contrast between the three raw materials."
Symmetry is an essential element of the design, inspired by the look of a traditional Asian resort. "I was intrigued with establishing order within an open, flowing space," he says. "So I created a central axis running through the three areas. The two sides of the wardrobe and the shower and toilet are symmetrical. The vanity basin, the mirror and the bed are all centred on the axis. "
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