A John Lautner
house is unforgettable, and the master bedroom of the Sheats/Goldstein
hose is no exception. All of Lautner's signature elements are
there: jutting hyperbolic paraboloid roof, motorized windows,
unfinished concrete surfaces, and angular built-in furniture.
The dramatic assemblage of materials and design, combined with
the vista over Beverly Hills to the Pacific Ocean, give new meaning
to "a room with a view."
The sloping
ceiling of the bedroom, which is also the sloping floor of the
terrace and pool above it, exemplifies Lautner's belief that there
should be "eight to 10 good reasons to do something."
He explained the slope: "To avoid railings around the terrace
perimeter, the edges slope slightly upwards, defining the space
in a subtle way and providing security without disturbing the
panorama."
Lautner's
radical designs and concepts belong to the space age yet are timeless.
The house was built in 1963 and remodeled for the current owner
by Lautner in 1989, five years before his death. A series of windows
along the bedroom wall looks directly into the deep end of the
adjacent swimming pool. All the better to contemplate life, the
universe, and everything.
jim@jamesfgoldstein.com