Color Enhanced Architectural Concept
The owners of this 1970s-era split-level on Lake Calhoun recently added a third story bringing the home up-to-date with attractive soffits, angles, and half-walls built to create depth and dimension. But in a house where every room registered a dull white, a healthy dose of color becomes the true force for modernizing this space. The homeowners asked Otogawa-Anschel to bring color into their lives.
The standalone fireplace in the room’s center wears an entirely different chromatic palette on each side. From the sleeping area and looking out toward the lake, cool tones tease out the aqua and dark blue in the slate fireplace surround. From the opposite side, warm hues pick up the rose and violet of the same material. The wall separating the bedroom from the bathroom boasts a rich adobe red, set off by a gold soffit and a rich chocolate panel. The bold, earthy color triad serves as the eye-catching anchor point for the room.
Asymmetrical glass block flanking the bathroom vanity opens up an otherwise restrictive space, allowing it to communicate with the walk-in closet on one side and the natural light spill on the other. Because the green glass block diffuses the light, the room’s colors work to compensate for this softening. A mix of tangerine, pale green, and lemon yellow tile used in the shower find a place on the floor and walls as well for a burst of synthetic sunshine designed to shift and bend depending on vantage point. The gently morphing pattern eliminates the flat sterility of white tile and ordinary glass block.
The transition from the second floor to the third floor features a combination of yellow hues that also appear to shimmer and shift with the movement of natural light through the space. In the intense afternoon sun, the pigments lose their distinction and become a solid glowing wall. As the sun sets, they regain their individual character.
Like any healthy relationship, the living room and dining room work together while maintaining independence. In the living room, a soft suede wall gives way to the room’s large bank of windows and smartly complements the stone fireplace. Muted greens and golds segue effortlessly to the spectacular lake view. Meanwhile, the vibrant tones of the dining room tastefully contrast the cool calm of the living area.
Highlights
- Fifty-six colors in whole house
- Forty-two colors in master suite
