Property of Mr. and Mrs. Russell R. Klein | Architects: Adrian Malone and Roger F. Hopper

 

 Dr. and Mrs. Russell R. Klein, whose handsome California house is shown here, take a refreshing view of family living: "We felt that our house should be for the family, including children-not just for adults with children pushed off into a playroom." Although it is the Kleins' feeling that privacy is sometimes essential for both parents and children, they favored a house that would encourage their son, who is 10, and daughters, 9 and 8, to congregate with them rather than go their separate ways. The best architectural expression of this idea is an exceptionally spacious living-dining area, strategically situated between the parents and children's wings as the natural family gathering-place.

Built on an open site once occupied by a small vineyard, the Kleins' house lacks a spectacular vista of the kind often associated with the San Francisco Bay area. But it has other qualities that easily compensate. The property is screened from the road and neighbors by a dense grove of evergreens, thus permitting extensive use of glass walls. For a house planned to absorb the hard wear of three young children, the interior strikes an unusually sophisticated tone; yet the materials are eminently practical. Most floor surfaces, for instance, are the concrete slab itself, integrally colored and waxed. The ceilings are gypsum board throughout. In the living room and study the joints of gypsum board are covered by redwood battens, which make an attractive design. Especially pleasing to Mrs. Klein is the storage space, which is not only abundant but also located in the right places for storing the right things.

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source: House and Garden Magazine | November 1957