Nestled within a one-and-a-half-acre site in Southern California, The Tree House by KAA Design embraces its natural surroundings with elegance and restraint. Mature Cork oaks, rare Torrey pines, and fragrant Southern magnolias remain untouched, with the home thoughtfully built around them, preserving the landscape’s unique character. The design reflects a sophisticated simplicity, balancing contemporary California style with the clients’ deep connection to the site.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of the project, with geothermal heating and cooling, radiant floors, photovoltaic panels, and solar water systems integrated seamlessly. The architecture engages harmoniously with the topography, offering expansive views of the Pacific Ocean from multiple vantage points.
The home’s layout centres on a large, open great room connecting kitchen, dining, and family areas. Pocketing sliding glass doors allow the interiors to flow effortlessly onto the eastern lawn, swimming pool, and bocce court. Warm wood ceilings, honed limestone floors, and rough-hewn stone walls create a tactile richness, while a spiral wooden staircase adds sculptural elegance. A floating wood and steel fireplace anchors the living room, cantilevered within a plaster volume that overlooks the garden and ocean beyond.
On the western side, a cantilevered second-floor office floats above a board-formed concrete entry wall, clad in cedar alongside the garage door. An infinity-edge reflecting pool at the entrance draws the eye outward to the ocean, while the motor court is framed by a cedar gate and concrete wall. Niwaki-pruned Japanese black pines and granite boulders punctuate the landscape, creating sculptural interest. Even the terrace eaves are notched carefully to accommodate existing tree limbs, highlighting the home’s sensitive integration with nature.
Project & images: https://kaadesigngroup.com/projects/the-tree-house/
Article by: Lily Wong
