Construction Notes from John:

This client purchased a hilltop property across the street from her daughter. The client wanted her home positioned so that she could see her daughter's kitchen window from either her sewing room window or her kitchen window.

After my surveyor plotted the necessary checkpoints, I used the data to design a floor plan that would accommodate her request.

The site had a number of native oak trees and required extensive grading. A licensed arborist guided us through the restrictive oak tree ordinance, resulting in using some of the oaks as part of my design for the outdoor patio deck.

Because of the hillside condition, a two-story home resulted as the final solution. A residential elevator was installed to accommodate the owner's physical condition.

Grade level featured an oversized, 3-car garage, guest quarters with full bath, HVAC, trash storage, trash chute from above, and access to the elevator. A stair from the garage to the second floor gave capable family members access to the second floor.

With some thought, I was able to design the second floor so that the owner could view her daughter's home from 3 locations: when at the breakfast table, sink or sewing machine. We experienced many happy arm-waving sessions with our client and her daughter and grandchildren.

The upper level rooms all have gorgeous views of the heavily wooded oak and chaparral hillsides. The entrance stairs form the motor court below present a dramatic view of the terrain, as does the second story entry porch.