Corona Vista

The homeowners envisioned creating an urban hilltop retreat, unifying several properties with a main house and an adjacent cottage. Blending the interior and exterior spaces was also a design priority. During the pre-construction phase, Abacus developed a highly detailed, multi-phased schedule, allowing our clients to remain on the property for the entirety of the project lifecycle.

To bring the outdoors in, we installed well-placed windows, folding glass doors, and large skylights. These filled both the home and cottage with natural light and beautiful views. For the cottage, Abacus collaborated with structural engineers to create a support mechanism that allowed for an improved ceiling design, opening up the space dramatically. Three new home offices were added to the property, with custom built-in cabinets, bookcases and storage spaces made of Eastern red elm.

We did significant exterior work to highlight the remarkable grounds: stacked stone retaining walls, meandering stone paths and stairways, plus several new decks and terraces. We also installed 180 linear feet of custom curving glass guard rail, avoiding visual barriers. Other engineering feats included digging a new basement for the main house, to accommodate a subterranean wine cave.