The Bay Area Home, designed by the Olson Kundig architecture firm with interiors by Nicole Hollis of NICOLEHOLLIS, stands as an elevated display of modern architecture and curated interiors, carefully crafted to promote the family’s active and art-filled life. Situated in an established San Francisco Bay Area neighborhood, the house is a relaxing haven amid city life, blending indoor and outdoor living with the help of mature oak trees, reflective water features, and expansive views of curated gardens.
Architect Tom Kundig’s design is a study in contrasts, balancing formal and casual spaces within a single structure. The home, which spans multiple zones, includes an area for entertaining guests and a more intimate section dedicated to family life. These distinct zones not only give the house a sense of openness but also foster a feeling of closeness and warmth. As Kundig explains, “This project organizes a pretty big home around two very different functions: formal spaces for hosting and entertaining, and much more casual family spaces.” This dual-purpose design is bolstered by the home’s close connection to nature, achieved through expansive glass walls and kinetic elements that blur the lines between the indoors and outdoors.
The entrance of the home begins with a dramatic statement: a black steel bridge suspended over a lightwell, leading to a bronze pivoting front door that opens onto an art-filled entryway. Large walls throughout the house showcase the family’s impressive art collection, featuring works from artists such as Oscar Murillo and Alma Allen, while oversized glass windows offer uninterrupted views of the lush surrounding landscape.
An Olympic-sized swimming pool lays along the axis of the hovering primary suite, an extension of the covered outdoor living space. On the opposite side of the pool is a cabana, which features a sauna, cold plunge, and outdoor gym.
Inside, the formal wing is punctuated by reflecting pools and framed with black steel columns. A pair of 13-foot pivoting glass doors anchor the space, allowing light to flow freely. Custom elements like a botanical bronze screen by artist David Wiseman add further layers of texture and artistry. As Nicole Hollis describes, “A screen by David Wiseman was a custom commission with the artist, and one of the most distinctive choices we made.”
In contrast to the formal living areas, the family zones are designed to feel casual yet luxurious. The kitchen, centered around a 28-foot-long Titiano marble island, opens onto a terrace, extending into the outdoors with dedicated spaces for cooking and dining under the shelter of the primary suite’s cantilevered volume. The outdoor kitchen, pool, and sports facilities encourage an active lifestyle, a design decision Kundig highlights: “The outdoor kitchen literally extends the energy from the main kitchen inside out into the landscape. The pool creates a link between the low-key activity of the house and the more intense recreational activity of the sauna, outdoor gym, and sport court beyond.”
A downstairs powder room houses a sculptural black marble sink surrounded by black wood walls embedded with veins of bronze inlay.
The home’s upper level is equally considered, featuring a serene primary suite that includes a marble bathtub, placed to create a peaceful connection with the surrounding tree canopy. A separate children’s wing adds functionality, providing privacy and play spaces, while at the basement level, a gym and recreation room open into the landscaped lightwell, ensuring natural light flows through even the most secluded parts of the home.
The interiors, masterminded by Nicole Hollis, create a serene and inviting atmosphere, contrasting soft furnishings with the bold architectural lines of the house. “Working with the architectural palette, we selected materials and finishes to contrast against the lush exterior landscape, creating a calming environment,” Hollis explains. The careful interplay between the rigorous architecture and playful interior details softens the space, making it both livable and refined.
For more information on Olson Kundig, visit olsonkundig.com, and for more information on NICOLEHOLLIS, visit nicolehollis.com.
Photography by Douglas Friedman.
