In Mill Valley, California, a six-story, 1980’s clapboard house was a local eyesore until architect Chris Parlette recreated the structure in a practical and contemporary style. Because it was built into a hillside, the homeowners needed to climb two flights of outdoor stairs to reach the front door, and within the house, there were nearly 12 different levels, stranding each area of the home within a dysfunctional and disconnected design. Parlette implemented various, major updates to the architecture over the course of seven years, including stairs with clear glass railings — allowing light to circulate — and large steel windows.
Once Parlette had transformed the space, designer Elena Calabrese applied her interiors expertise to the architectural foundation, choosing objects and fabrics that were family-friendly, with a touch of “rock n’ rock,” in the words of Calabrese. “The clients had a bit of an edgy vibe, which I loved, yet were rather outdoorsy and adventurous too,” she says. Here, we tour the interiors with Calabrese to see how she crafted a design schema to complement Parlette’s architecture.
Sky lights usher in plenty of natural light, which filters through the open layout. Parlette positioned outdoor rooms at either end of the space.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
A playful wall mural by Caroline Lizarraga greets guests in the foyer. The sleek, industrial-style console table is from Fourhands, while the metal table lamps are from Edizioni Design.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
To the side of the dining room, the kitchen sits beneath an A-frame ceiling. Leather barstools from McGuire Furniture line the minimalist island. Suspended hand-blown lights from Hennepin Made add a touch of softness to the heft and scale of the design.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
The kitchen and dining rooms are uniquely placed on the second floor, with a view of much of the house. Luke Bartels crafted the custom table, which is surrouned by modern, mixed-material dining chairs from Modloft. The geometric hide rug underneath the dining table is custom from Kyle Bunting.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Beside the kitchen, the living room opens up to a comfortable porch. A floor lamp from Arteriors offers light to a leather chair from Lee Industries; at an angle, the chair faces a soft sectional from Camerich. The coffee table is from Fourhands.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Behind the sectional, a tufted sofa bench from Fourhands looks out toward the pool area.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Behind the sectional sits a pool table, decorated with lights from Lambert et Fils. Calabrese custom designed the pool table to suit the room; often, houses in the Bay Area don't have pool tables because they're constrained by space, she notes. The bar stools are from Fourhands.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Off the pool room, a luxurious powder room is enhanced by a reflective Elitis wallcovering. The area rug is from Tazi Designs, and the pendant light is from Nicheliving.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Two plush side chairs and a table from Gloster look out over the beauty of the redwoods. Parlette redesigned the porches with a variety of new elements, including steel cable railings that don't interfere with the views.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Contemporary Moooi pendant lights hang between upper and lower levels of the home.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
For the den, a gray sofa from Rowe Furniture — decorated with throw pillows upholstered in fabric from Romo — is set in front of a low, wood coffee table from Loggia Showroom. The woven rug underneath is from Jaipur Living.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
In another powder room, a high-contrast, geometric wallpaper from Lindsay Cowles offers excitement.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Sculpted womb chairs from Rove Concepts create a comfortable seating option.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
Architect Chris Parlette laid out an innovative, modern structure for the space that combined industrial elements without seeming empty or cold.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
A Restoration Hardware bed frame is the centerpiece of the master bedroom. Winfield Thybony Design wallpaper brings a lush atmosphere to the room, while a patterned rug from Haute Textile Flooring adds an extra dose of texture. Custom nightstands from Ciarlo Brothers stand guard on either side of the bed beneath sconces by Aerin For Visual Comfort. To the left, the vanity area is visible, where a bench from Outpost Original offsets its wood surroundings. The bench at the foot of the bed was sourced from Lee Industries.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
A VillaNova wallcovering sets a clean, bright background for the master bedroom; pendant lights from Tech Lighting strike a minimalist note.
Architecture by Chris Parlette of Holder / Parlette | Photo by David Duncan Livingston
