Inside Rob Diaz’s Luxurious + Light-Filled A-Frame in Studio City

When a small, older home in Studio City (Los Angeles) faced the wrecking ball, designer and developer Rob Diaz of Diaz + Alexander Studio made full use of its enviable lot, drafting and designing what he calls "a warm, wooden take on a modern Scandinavian A-frame home." Situated on a small lot, the home has a unique design that helps make the most of the space. "The box mass on the first floor gives way to a left-of-center, two-height mass going through the box. It is definitely a unique take on a single A-frame home," explains Rob. "This particular home is a more modern take with a large center mass and hollowed courtyards in the middle. It was a small lot and we gave the space courtyards and large upper decks, which created the illusion of a larger outdoor space."

Rob cites the surrounding sycamores as one of the main inspirations behind the home's design. "The home is located in the silver triangle section of Studio City on a protected-sycamore-tree-lined street called Cantura," he explains. "It's surrounded by the sycamore trees and the backdrop is the Hollywood Hills. The upper deck faces the hillside and faces west. The sycamores canopy over the entire street and it is breathtaking."

The home's front gate and fence are made of corten steel, lending a beautiful patina that sets the tone for the property upon arrival. Inside, limestone batons are placed on concrete with gaps for ground cover. "Landscape is very important to me and natural materials are used. The plants on the front-facing roof line are set within corten hidden planters. They are movement plants (Mexican grass plants). They were set there to give movement to the shapes and soften the angles," offers Rob.

Rob's implementation of natural materials continues in the backyard pool area with a teak deck, limestone water fountains and vintage terra-cotta pots holding olive trees. "The feel of this is to have greenery that doesn't need much maintenance, and the vibes are old and new. Even old copper outdoor showers were installed. It was the play of natural new and old," he explains.

Rob prioritized thoughtful lighting to enhance the Alaskan cedar exterior. "Lighting is my muse," he says. "It must be done right. The exterior has over 40 well lights, pathway lights and uplights for large trees. The exterior lighting on the home is old shipyard brass downlights that let off a perfect lumen to the ground and wall. The landscape literally glows in the evening."