From entry to pool, this modern home by Specht Novak unfolds in carefully considered levels. By stepping down the lot, the design transforms a steep hillside into a sequence of connected spaces that feel open, private, and intentional.
Every level responds to the site, the street, and the surrounding trees. Inside and out, material warmth and measured scale guide the experience, creating a home that flows naturally from front to back while fitting seamlessly into its neighborhood.
The facade breaks down its mass into shifting rectilinear forms, avoiding a monolithic street wall. The volume stays low on one side to align with a neighboring bungalow, then steps up toward a taller structure and a canopy of mature oaks.
Because the narrow lot required a street-facing garage, it becomes a graphic building block within the composition rather than an afterthought. At ground level, the home remains private, marked by a single glazed entry. Above, a large corner window opens a playroom to the surrounding trees.
Natural brick and vertical wood battens with dark trim ground the exterior in warmth and craft, reinforcing a human scale that feels considered rather than imposing.
The entry sets the tone immediately. Solid and secure at the base, the house opens through a glass front door that transitions from street to interior with intention.
Material continuity is key. Brick extends indoors, softening the boundary between outside and inside while establishing texture from the first step.
Inside, the plan responds to a dramatic fifteen-foot drop from front to back. Floor levels subtly step down, creating a sequence of spaces rather than a single flat plane.
The living area is recessed, drawing you inward before extending outward through a wide expanse of operable glass. A fireplace anchors the room, adding warmth to the layered composition.
The dining area connects seamlessly, framed by the same tactile materials that define the exterior.
The kitchen continues the language of clarity and restraint. Warm wood cabinetry and integrated appliances balances the clean geometry, reinforcing the idea that modern does not have to mean stark.
As the house moves downhill, exterior terraces cascade with it. Xeriscaped platforms step toward a pool at the rear, transforming a challenging slope into an asset. The layered backyard preserves privacy while opening long views toward the tree canopy and distant skyline.
Back inside, a vertical batten screen rises through the stair core, repeating the exterior motif indoors. This screen filters light from a large central skylight, diffusing it down through the house and animating circulation with shifting shadows throughout the day.
Upstairs, a playroom and media space claim the prominent corner window visible from the street. Rather than closing off the upper level, the design frames treetop views and introduces light into the composition, balancing the solidity below.
The primary suite continues the theme of measured openness. Positioned to take advantage of privacy and long views, it feels connected to the layered landscape beyond. The ensuite bathroom features a square blue tile accent wall below a skylight, while a double vanity lines the opposite wall.
A roof terrace, accessed via the primary bedroom, wrap around the corner of the home.
The drawings illustrate how the home is positioned on its lot and how its interior layout responds to that placement.
This home shows that privacy, openness, and density can work together when scale and materiality are handled with care.