Pebbled beds substitute for grass at this home, representing the landscape as a Japanese-style garden. Planting materials and rocks underscore the architecture and the treescape in the various sections of the yard. [ctb]
A pergola marks the front entrance to the residence. Bronze doors, one with a decorative knocker, provide a focal point for the composition. [pll]
Extending from a large opening, beams cover an patio space that extends the living room outdoors. [pll]
The pergola from the street entrance to the property suggests a balanced asymmetry along the front walk. [pll]
The pergola extends from exterior to interior, linking an understanding of building from landscape to interior. Exposed beams on the ceiling help visually tie the pergola to the greater architecture. [pll]
A series of brass-and-rattan screens obscure direct views into the dining room from both foyer and living room. Attributed to artist Gregory Ivy, they remain as evidence to the kinds of interiors he shaped while working for the Loewenstein firm. [pll]
The free standing flue defines an anchor for the center of the living room around which a curving, linear sofa provides seating for guests. Clerestory lighting opens the view to the wooded lot and provides a means for light to slip into the space. [ctb]
The informal dining space opens directly onto the kitchen. Pickled cypress paneling surrounds the walls, a typical interior finish material in many Loewenstein-designed houses. [pll]
Side-mounted can lights direct illumination across the wood wall surface onto the sloping ceiling, above, and into the bookshelves carved from the wall below. The period fixtures remain in place. [pll]
Built-in cabinets occupy one entire wall of the kitchen for ample storage of cooking equipment and food. The storage wall divides kitchen from the bedroom wing at the back right corner of the structure. [pll]
| John + Evelyn Hyman Residence
Greensboro (1959)
This residential commission bears the strong imprint of Japanese-inspired design and represents a collaboration between Loewenstein, artist Gregory Ivy, and landscape architect Ray Turner (High Point). A Japanese-style pergola covers the front walk on the exterior of the house and the pergola concept continues as a means of marking the entrance hall on the interior. The dining room and the living room sit to the left and right of the pergola-covered foyer, respectively, separated from the entryway by two folding brass and rattan screens. The living room, dominated by a circular fireplace (also attributed to Ivy) and a panoramic view of the Japanese-style garden on the north side of the house, is a large open space with a vaulted ceiling supported by steel beams encased in wood. An informal dining room and an open kitchen flank dining room and living room to the rear of the house. A master bedroom completes the floor plan, appointed with built-in cabinets, storage spaces, and a compartmentalized bath.
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