Sally’s Process
This cozy nook was created as a collaboration between Lennox Smith, the owner of Seacliff Construction and Design, and myself. After he designed the stairs, we had the idea of designing a curved bench with a curved wall that framed the space. After passing it back and forth, we came up with an innovative design that the client really loved.
These clients wanted to outfit this living room space by adding two wine refrigerators. Because the room was on the small side, I did not want it to overpower the space, so I designed a custom rattan-faced freestanding cabinet with clean elegant brass pulls. By making this look like a piece of furniture, it added a warmth and sophistication that belonged with the rest of the house.
For this remodeled bath, I needed to get more creative because the room was so small. I had an architect draw up plans for a bump-out that gave an extra 30” of space. I decided to design a Japanese garden to be continuous with the inside of the bathroom so that it gave the illusion that the bathroom was bigger than it was. For the finishes, it was important to keep the tile work for the shower earthy so that it did not distract from the beauty of the stones outside. The ipe wood bath mat brought in the warmth that can sometimes be lost when working with stones. The wooden vessel holding the branches helped balance the youth of a freshly-planted garden with the presence of age, wear, and imperfection. Each part feeds off the others. The most exciting part of this design is the interplay of the changing seasons and the myriad birds that visit. One is constantly reminded of the impermanence of life. This is a true zen retreat!
