After interviewing several, the couple hired French-born Jean-Louis Coquereau, owner and principal architect of JLC Architecture. Tyler Van Stright served as the project manager. But before they could plan the layout and features of the home, they had to address the site’s well-developed landscape.“There were over 100 trees on the property, and here we were talking about which ones had to be cut down,”Tami says.“I planted almost everything except the avocado trees. I trudged through ditches installing
irrigation andworked late into many nights using my headlamp to see what I was doing in the yard. These trees meant something to me.” Tami negotiated to save what she could, askingVan Stright towork around the avocado trees, a wisteria vine, and a smattering of other large trees. Andwhen it came time to remove the others, she had to be the one holding the chainsaw.“It felt like I was destroying memories,” she confesses.“I’m sentimental, so I had to be the one to do it.” The trees that remained became a focal point of the newdesign. Van Stright explains that the real challenge wasn’t in preserving vegetation, but in giving the couple’s traditional tropical style a modern interpretation: “We didn’t want the Hawaiian elements to feel forced; we wanted to retain all the best aspects of its design—the vaulted roof, deep overhangs, andwarmwood.” The result is a home that marries the images from the McNerneys’ inspiration binder with modern architecture.
ECO KITCHEN The FSC-certified maple kitchen cabinets were built by Brad Adelman Custom Cabinetry using a soy-based glue and a plant-based stain. The Stahl + Band bar stools are made from saddle leather, and the pendant lights from Arteriors are made from hand-woven natural sea grass.
46 APR I L 2021
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