"It's a humbling gift and experience to design

someone's home because the client 

openly shares their dreams and visions

to someone who is  initially a stranger.  

Anyone can design a house

but I believe it takes more than a good pair of hands

to build a home for anyone...

I believe it takes good listening ears  

to "see" what clients dream about." 

 

~r. dRA

 

 

 

 

 

Custom Hillside House

 

The site sits on large lot embraced by a hill on the East Side and is greeted by an open 180 degrees view of the hills below on the West Side.  The existing house was underdeveloped in design and function and was in need of careful remodeling.  Our goal with our client was to recreate an environment that will best suit their lifestyle and dreams without pushing out of the existing envelope of the house.  The desire to keep the footprint gave the opportunity to focus on shifting the existing interior walls and ceiling heights to reinvent the ceremonial access through the house. In the process of the design, a desire to add a Pool House to compliment the remodel became a great partner and enhancement to the experience through the entire site. Connecting  both buildings is an infinity pool that will spread along the west edge of the site and cascade subtly to the north end converging into a Koi pond.

 

• Designed by Rhonna del Rio-Ascolese
• Technical collaboration with Gregg Maedo (Architect)
• Digital renderings by Brandon Shigeta

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beach House - Manhattan Beach, California

This project sits a less than 30 ft. from the sand of beautiful Manhatan Beach.  Otonome was commissioned to  revamp the existing exterior design of this custom house from top to bottom.   It needed a "new skin" to embrace it's surrounding and stand out along side other unique homes.  By focusing the concept on one main element that wraps on the front of the house to the facade that greets the ocean, we achieve a simple and humble statement that creates individuality without exerting too much. 

 

 

 

 

 

Ranch House - Chino Hills, California

 

 

 

More images and renderings coming soon.  Please come back and visit.