Coral House, Stunning Estate by Whipple Russell Architects and LTA+D

Date of Publishing: May 27, 2024

Contents

Architecture Design of Coral House

Description About The Project

Coral House is a stunning project resulting from the collaboration between Whipple Russell Architects and Livia Tomiselli of LTA+D, who handled the interior, landscape, and lighting designs. Tomiselli and her team sourced a palette of materials from Italy, including stone, steel, wood, mosaics, and porcelain tiles, and custom-designed cabinets, doors, handles, rugs, and handrails.

With prior experience working for the client, Livia was aware of his passion for collecting model ships, matchbox cars, vintage cars, vinyl records, and various art pieces. She faced the unique challenge of curating and displaying these items while integrating elements salvaged from the original 1940s house on the site, aiming to preserve their artistic value.

Entryway and Exterior

The entry courtyard is characterized by ponds and a stepping pad walkway, a signature element of Marc Whipple’s design, which offers a serene transition from the street to the house. These ponds utilize filtered, recycled rainwater collected in a cistern beneath the driveway.

Livia’s design prominently features “Grigio Perla” stone from the Tuscan Maremma, known for its light gray tone, surface porosity, and delicate appearance, complemented by wood and steel. This stone pattern is consistent throughout the facade and interior, with pieces fabricated, numbered, shipped, and assembled on-site.

The upper level façade is accentuated with custom-assembled extra-wide teak planking, extending into the interior. Repurposed Art Nouveau bronze decorative panels from the old house’s handrail are incorporated into the entry door’s design, which is a heavy pivoting door made in Italy by brass craftsmen. Corten steel, chosen for outdoor elements, ages to a warm color, harmonizing with the teak and stone, and is used for all gates reflecting the entry door’s design.

The Architecture Design Project Information:

Project Name: Coral House
Location: Santa Monica, California, United States
Project Year: 2021
Designed by: Whipple Russell Architects & LTA+D

Coral House, Stunning Estate by A Whipple Russell Architects

Marc designed the house with three levels, featuring a central volume and floating stairs topped by a skylight, maintaining visual connectivity throughout the house. Glass walkways and floor windows enhance natural light and visibility.

The living room boasts a brass cabinet above the fireplace, designed to conceal the fireplace mechanism and to reveal a bar and a turntable for the client’s LP collection. Additional built-in display cases are situated above the stairway and along the upstairs hallway for the matchbox car collection, allowing for easy rearrangement.

Custom glass mosaic by Sicis is used in all the baths, together with extra-large porcelain tile by Florim. Bath fixtures throughout are from Dornbracht; all the vanities in the baths were custom by Agape.

Pool and Patio
The window walls that open to the outside allow for a complete indoor-outdoor feeling. Livia wanted very simple furnishings outside, and the custom teak and stone used elsewhere are repeated. The deep overhang provides shade and intimacy to the patio seating and dining areas. Further out by the pool and spa is an outdoor kitchen island that includes a BBQ and a pizza oven. Adding to the creativity and amusement in the pool is a pair of mosaic jellyfish swimming in a corner. And, in keeping with the client’s sense of fun and adventure, the kids have a Volkswagen camper van for a playhouse.

The Coral House Gallery:

Text by the Architects: Coral House, named for the iconic Santa Monica tree that stands at its entrance, is located on a coveted street overlooking the canyon, with views to the beach and the blue and white surf of the Pacific.

This project reflects a collaboration between Whipple Russell Architects and Livia Tomiselli of LTA+D, who created the interior, landscape, and lighting designs. She and her team also procured the palette of materials – mainly stone, steel, wood, mosaics, and porcelain tiles – from Italy, and custom designed all the cabinets, doors, handles, rugs, and handrails.

Photo credit: Luca Girardini | Source: Whipple Russell Architects

For more information about this project; please contact the design firms:

Whipple Russell Architects:
- Add: 15021 Ventura Blvd. #869 Sherman Oaks, Ca. 91403
- Tel: (323) 962-5800
- Email: ea@whipplerussell.com
LTA+D:
- Email: livia.tomiselli@gmail.com