7 Years Later - Benedict Canyon 2023

It’s always fun to see the evolution of our projects, as they change hands with new ownership. Our original client for Benedict Canyon was from the sports world, and he wanted an open-plan house for entertaining, that would also include a photography studio and gallery space for displaying his large scale artworks. Seven years later, in new hands, the original bones are still in place, the landscape is more mature, and the rooms have been repurposed to suit the needs of the new owners.

Approaching the house, a long curving driveway leads down to the property, arriving at the car park and entrance walkway.

On the left-hand side, accessed via floating stairs that rise above a modern reflecting pool, is an upstairs studio space.

Originally an office, this studio now houses a light-filled gym and yoga workout room with rooftop terrace and views through floor to ceiling glass walls. 

Wide horizontal pavers in the entrance walkway guide the eye toward the main house, where water surrounds the entryway, flowing between steps and meeting a chiseled marble ledger stone wall.

A large center-pivot front door opens to reveal a dramatic double-height foyer accented with ribbon windows to the north and south, and skylights overhead.

Straight out through the sliding glass walls on the far side of the room, beyond the patio, is a perfectly framed view of the California hills. 

Large, earth-toned porcelain tiles flow smoothly down three steps into the living area, lined with a series of wall-sized glass pocket doors. When all are open, the feeling of bringing the outdoors inside is breezily apparent.

An olive tree lives in the foyer with the help of grow lights, and a small Zen garden at the bottom of the steps adds greenery to the space.

To the right are a sun-filled gallery and stairs, and the entries to the three downstairs bedroom/baths.

One of the downstairs bedrooms is now a light-filled home office.

To the left of the entryway are the central gathering areas of the house. A dining room, featuring textured stacked stone gray walls, sliding glass doors, and a warm wooden ceiling and floor, and an attached home theater. Behind that are the housekeeper’s bedroom and bath.

A bright, open plan kitchen features a Dekton Quartz island and countertops, imported Italian walnut and Wenge wood cabinets, Wolf range and ovens, and a custom dining table in Calcutta porcelain with built-in Yakiniku grills imported from Japan.

The open plan family room looks back onto the kitchen at one end, and opens onto a glass wall view of the local mountains at the other. This space, which also houses a piano, is built out over the edge of the canyon, and with glass on three sides, adds an exhilarating panorama and floating effect. 

In all ground floor bedrooms and main living areas of the house, sliding glass walls open onto the pool terrace for year-around indoor outdoor living.

Upstairs, the primary suite includes his and her dressing rooms, and a gray, stacked-stone fireplace that also heats a private outdoor terrace.

Solid walnut plank ceilings, also found in the family and dining rooms, warm the bedroom, as does the 10-inch oak custom stained flooring.

Expansive glass provides views from both the primary bedroom and bath, which features a Carrara marble shower and quartz countertops.

Outdoor living and a great view are essential to resort style living. Here, sliding glass walls open onto a backyard pool terrace with fire pit gathering areas and an outdoor dining table.

Above the family room a large rooftop terrace offers relaxation, day and night, with lounge chairs for sunning, and a ledger stone fireplace to warm up nighttime entertaining and stargazing.  

Photos courtesy of Anthony Barcelo.