MamaYao House — Antonym.us

MamaYao House

Location: Torrance, CA
Size: 1,200 sq ft

An empty nester entering early retirement envisioned building a spacious ADU within the small footprint of her backyard to host friends and family from around the world, including her adult children. The design observes principles of Feng Shui, through the placement of stairs and arrangement of the kitchen, to funnel qi or balanced energy throughout. The owner’s brief was simple, “cozy with pops of red” - the latter being an auspicious color in her culture.

Tile was selected from Heath Ceramics overstock factory. An eclectic herringbone pattern was carefully designed to utilize the limited quantity of coordinating tile shapes and colors.

A ditone print by artist Avery Singer hangs above the vintage sofa. The image of a geometric humanoid figure signifies vitality and a new beginning for the owner.

Maxfield Parrish's illustration of two youthful dreamers enlarged on lightjet printed aluminum captures the feeling of optimism and hope in the light-filled double height space.

The constellation of Scorpius, the owner's astrological sign, is delineated by a series of acrylic rods which puncture through the wall of her bedroom. Light is drawn in along the length of the rods and by night, a cluster of glittering stars illuminate the entire second floor space.