Property of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Howard | Palos Verdes, California | Architects: Burton A. Schutt & Harold W. Levitt

 The house suits the setting. It is low and rambling and placed to take the best possible advantage of a spectacular coastline view. Glass walls open it to terrace and to the court with its natural rock outcroppings. The building materials used inside would be just as suitable outdoors: terrazzo floors, a brick wall, wood walls. 

1. Road side of house, with carport to the right, is simple except for wood lattice fence with double door opening to entrance court. Major rooms face ocean and catch prevailing winds. 

2. Floor plan shows how every room opens to the outdoors, and how living room, dining room and study open to each other. (Sliding shoji walls are the only dividers between these three rooms.) The main bedrooms are in separate wings (three outside walls) for quiet and privacy; the third bedroom is used either for a maid or for a swimmer's dressing room. The bar, in a wall between living room and dining room, has a serving window to the poolside terrace. 

3. Glass-walled corner of living room frames a view of rock garden and ocean by day; when curtains are drawn at night, the room is as colorful as by day. The furniture is both handsome and practical: two low sofas for lounging, cork-topped tables, cushions easily moved about.

4. Guest bedroom opens to its own private terrace and small, corner planting area; it is separated from the entrance court by lattice grille.

1. Living room fireplace wall of white brick adds a feeling of shelter and solidity to a house that is otherwise quite open to the outdoors. Ornamental wood sliding grille in foreground is a divider between the living and the dining room. 

2. Swimming pool and partially roofed terrace are just a step from living and dining rooms. The planting helps to blend house and site; the terrazzo table top is supported by large coral rocks. 

3. Wood grille enclosure of entrance courtyard screens house from road; both it and open egg- crate roof cast shadow patterns. Stepping stones in pool (foreground) lead to front door. 

4. Dining room has glass walls facing the pool and overlooking the ocean. Living and dining rooms have off-white carpeting, beige draw-curtains, sharp color accents of orange, yellow.

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source: House and Garden Magazine | August 1956