Designing a home is a tricky business. It can be difficult to pick what style you want, and nailing said style is even harder. But blending multiple styles? Forget it! Well, architectural firm Hsu McCullough makes blending styles look easy. Moore House is unlike any other thanks to its eclectic mashup of Mediterranean architecture, contemporary interiors, and elegant Art Deco touches.
It’s easy to wonder why these disparate styles would be combined in the first place. But taking a look at the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles where Moore House is located shows an area filled with homes built in the 1920s and ‘30s. At that time, Southern California was a melting pot of styles, with Mediterranean Spanish mission mixing itself among Art Deco homes, creating a varied landscape of architecture. Blending these classic looks together, along with contemporary elements, allows Moore House to stand out while still paying homage to the history of its location.
Moore House tells you what it’s going to be as soon as you step up to the front gate. Brilliant white stucco covers the exterior and a trio of arched windows offers a mix of the standard Spanish mission style window but elongated in the geometric style of classic Art Deco. The black front door strikes a bold contrast against the white walls, adding a contemporary layer to the traditional elements already in play.
Hsu McCullough experimented with forms in Moore House and thanks to this, we get a glimpse of the back of the home while still in the front yard. What we see is a cedar plank-clad section adjoined to a traditional Spanish mission pergola of stained wood and steel. Thus you get a peek of every style incorporated into the home before you even step inside.
Once inside, Moore House shows off the seamless blending of styles with a bright, welcoming design. Thanks to plenty of windows, the home shines with natural light. Finishes are simple yet elegant, like the white walls and ceilings, white oak plank flooring, and black accents in the form of window frames and metal support rods on the open staircase. Pops of bronze scattered throughout the home, like the kitchen pendants and a mirror in one bathroom, add an Art Deco element that is the perfect finishing touch to the Spanish mission architecture and contemporary finishes.
Outside, Hsu McCullough provided the owners with plenty of spaces to entertain and relax. A platform deck off the kitchen mimics the front entry deck while also being a space for exterior dining or to kick back in the patio chairs. On the second floor, a patio covered by the pergola is a private spot for the family to have a bonfire and watch a movie.
Inside and out, Moore House shows off a skillful combining of styles that brings us a new kind of home — one that is at once traditional, timeless, and cutting edge.
