The Adler Residence

Objectives:

The new home must accommodate a slope toward the rear of the 1.5-acre site, and fire department access to the property must be provided. With a design inspired by a Virginia hunting lodge, the home will highlight European hardscaping with decomposed granite and a see-through entry to the rear.

All rooms should have high ceilings, and guests should be able to experience the garden when visiting. A gourmet kitchen with a wood-burning stove must integrate a booth purchased from the iconic and now-closed Chasen’s restaurant; the home must also accommodate a 6000-bottle wine collection. Finally, the client will not be using an interior designer to assist with any selections and would like to live on-site while the home is constructed.

The Adler Home

Outcome:

The guest house was constructed first so the client could live on-site during construction of the main house. The main house was faced with a stone veneer and given a slate roof; redwood siding was used on the home’s less visible sides. Decomposed granite was used for the driveway, firetruck turnaround, pathways, and rear garden hardscape. The house was built with 12-foot high walls and sloping ceilings and set back 200 feet so visitors could walk through the garden as they approached the front entrance.

The home’s doors, windows, cabinets, and interiors were custom designed; RLB accompanied the client to showrooms and stores to help with the selection of materials, later incorporating those selections into the drawings. Rare 17th-century oak imported from several European chateaus was used for the floors.

The gourmet kitchen was outfitted with a wood-burning fireplace oven, furniture-quality cabinets, zinc countertops, and a marble-topped island with a skylight directly above. A large, three-sided bay window was designed to accommodate the booth from Chasen’s, and an additional seating area was provided in the adjacent rear.

In addition to a mechanical room, a wine cellar was constructed in the home’s basement to accommodate the client’s vast wine collection.