LIVING LA PURA VIDA

Architect Tricy Magadini and interior designer Robyn Menter deliver a client’s dream abode.

Costa Ricans abide by the phrase “Pura Vida,” which, simply translated, means “simple life” or “pure life.”

When a discerning client with a passion for South American surfing was looking to downsize, the quest for a little bit of that effortless living was an inspiration. Luckily, he was able to source a dream team to work together in tandem when the house was in its early planning stages.

Says the owner, “We selected our team before we even made plans for the house. Tricy (Magadini of Bernbaum/Magadini Architects) did some renovations on our old house, so we picked her, then we chose (interior designer Robyn Menter), and picked a landscape architect. Together, they gave us everything we wanted.”

Says Tricy Magadini, “If we can get the landscape architect and designer on board from the beginning, it makes for a much better project. When you build, all these little things come up as you’re designing.”

In this case, those “little things” included the desire for an open floor plan that allowed for entertaining, and a second-floor devoted exclusively to the owners’ three children—twin girls and a boy.  A porch with rolling screens allows an entire corner of the house to open up, giving it a breezy vibe found in tropical countries such as Costa Rica, where the owner has another home. The outdoor area can be heated and cooled to be used 365 days a year, and floor-to-ceiling windows make the house feel open and exposed even on a rainy day.

Because the home’s Bluffview lot was oddly sized, landscape architect David Hocker helped optimize as much outdoor space as possible with side gardens balanced by a water feature. There’s a guest house with a living area and bathroom for relatives and friends. Magadini even implemented a doorway from the master bath directly to the yard so the client can step directly into the shower after a dip in the pool.

Other unique touches included a shareable closet for the owner’s clothes-swapping twin daughters, and a roomy utility room that does double duty as a catering kitchen.

As designer Robyn Menter was involved from the get-go, she was able to make small tweaks to create room for the modernist furnishings she was sourcing.

“The client wanted a place they could watch TV comfortably. When we looked at the plans, we determined they needed another foot on the living room to layout the furnishings. That seems like nothing, but it makes a significant difference,” says Menter.

Furniture in the client’s former house leaned towards the traditional, so Menter only kept a few key pieces, mixing in classics from the likes of Walter Knoll (the living room sectional), Vitra Repos (lounge chairs) and Cassina Hola (leather dining chairs).

An extensive array of custom designs created specifically for the home helped round out the rooms, including a metal and glass dining table, entry console, living room rug, and master bedroom suite. Menter even curated a unique selection of art to brighten the mostly neutral palette, finding works everywhere from Holly Johnson Gallery to off-the-beaten-path Berlin art spaces.

“They like a lot of color, so that was a real challenge for me,” she says of the mix. “I typically use a lot, but (in this case) I relied on the art and a colorful area rug (by Tai Ping) we had made for the living room to add that pop.”

With the project taking nearly three years from beginning to end, the designer, architect, and the client got to know each other well. The former still return to the latter’s home on occasion for parties and get-togethers.

And for the owner, it’s that atmosphere of camaraderie and celebration—rain or shine—that has made his house a dream home.

“I always wanted to have a house (with this feeling). It’s fun building a house where every little piece of it is designed for you and what you love.”

Bernbaum/Magadini Architects
bmarchitects.com

Robyn Menter Design Associates
robynmenter.com