The living room chairs were sourced from Tonic Design Studio with a coffee table made by Dutchman Furniture. The artwork above the fireplace is by Scott Upton, sourced from Thomas Deans Fine Art Gallery. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GALINA JULIANA

Interior designer Willem Stear used his experimental creativity and trust from his client to create a home that balances family and modernity, all while keeping its roots, literally.

When creating a home from the ground up, trust between a client and their designer is the most important factor throughout the project. Thankfully, for interior designer Willem Stear of Tonic Design Studio, trust was at the center of his recent project. Stear, known for his ability to mix unique and eclectic style, powered through lead time delays due to COVID-19 to create the 7,000-square-foot home. Surrounded by nature, the property has an organic and modern look to it—just what the clients ordered.

The dining room table is from Moooi through Switch Modern and chairs were sourced from Tonic Design Studio with a black light fixture from Switch Modern above. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GALINA JULIANA

Starting from the outside, looking in, architect Bryan Russell was tasked with fitting the home into the steep landscape of the lot, requiring him to conquer the 60-foot drop from the street to the back of the property. Throughout the property, rice composite accent siding from Resysta was used, guaranteeing the client’s request for a lowmaintenance exterior. Wide-open spaces transfer seamlessly throughout the home with front and rear facades. The pool is surrounded by an open-concept area with a view of the gorgeous landscaping around the property. The lot even holds a children’s play area, and a custom dog run. Russell used Cembrit’s color fiber cement in between white granite stone to achieve a modern look while still keeping a natural undertone. The exterior is finished off with a standing seam metal roof with 20-inch panels, outfitted in dark gray. Moving to the inside, an emphasis on a homey, nonshowroom feel can be observed throughout the four-bedroom, 4 ½ - bath property. “What I enjoyed most about the project was how wonderful the clients were to work with; they gave us a lot of freedom and trust,” says Stear.

The kitchen barstools were sourced from Tonic Design Studio with a light fixture from Moooi and sleek Neolith countertops, as well as appliances from Sub-Zero and Wolf. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GALINA JULIANA

Room by room, Stear used organic elements mixed with sleek lines to create tension throughout the interior. Starting in the living room, a custom rug from Verde Home decorates the white oak flooring while a custom ottoman by Bjork Studio and oak table by Dutchman Furniture ties the room together. The powder room offers a dark contrast with its black 3D tile and dark sink, giving it a moody vibe that complements the exterior. In the kitchen, impressive custom-designed cabinetry from German luxury kitchen brand Poggenpohl creates a sleekness that cuts like a knife. The cabinets are accented by the marble countertops by Neolith and a three-stooled island, ideal for a cozy family dinner. The downstairs is completed with a warm dining room, which uses natural light and a darker, half-circled light fixture by FLOS to bring a welcoming feel.

“WHAT I ENJOYED MOST ABOUT THE PROJECT WAS HOW WONDERFUL THE CLIENTS WERE TO WORK WITH—THEY GAVE US A LOT OF FREEDOM AND TRUST.”
–WILLEM STEAR

The primary bedroom hosts pendant lights from FLOS, a custom bed designed by Stear, and a dresser and seating sourced from Tonic Design Studio. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GALINA JULIANA

Per the client’s request, Stear was tasked with balancing an organic and resort-style look with warm, cozy family ideals. Making the way up the open staircase, past the three teardrop-shaped light fixture by David Trubridge, is the next story of the home. Natural light from large all-aluminum, thermally broken windows from Quaker allows the space to feel open yet cozy with the custom bed from Bjork Studio. The bed sits center stage with a rug by Jaipur Living. Expertly customized and integrated by Bjork, the bed, metal and marble bedside tables, and daybed are seamlessly styled together. Looking inside the main bath is a modern dream, with more views of the large property and its greenery. Plumbing and fixtures by Toto and Graff add modern edge to the usual eyesores of the bathroom.

The primary bathroom features a bathtub from Badeloft USA and a sleek vanity designed by Stear. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GALINA JULIANA

Stear’s experimentation with modernity and intimacy throughout the interior doesn’t stop there, however. Looking up, European light fixtures illuminate each room and add a hint of international style to the otherwise regional-looking home. Brands such as Tom Dixon. FLOS, Moooi, Bocci, David Trubridge can be found throughout. The contrast between darks and lights woven between the interior and exterior of the home accents the textures and warm modern styling from Stear. Both the interior and exterior capture the client’s family-orientated request thanks to Stear’s and Russell’s experimental creativity.

The rear of the home features a pool designed by Jill Kelleher from Viridian Studios and an outdoor grill from Lynx perfect for hosting backyard gatherings. PHOTOGRAPHED BY GALINA JULIANA

DESIGN DETAILS

Type: Single-family home

Location: Buckhaven

Interior Design:
Willem Stear,
Tonic Design Studio,
tonic-designstudio.com

Architecture:
Bryan Russell,
Dencity, dencity.us

RESOURCES

Bjork Studio
Main bedroom custom bed
frame, bjokestudio.com

Cembrit
Color fiber cement
throughout, cembrit.com

Noir Furniture
noirfurniturela.com

Poggenpohl
Kitchen,
poggenpohl.com

Quaker
All-aluminum thermally
broken windows and door
systems, quaker.com

Resysta USA
Exterior accent siding,
resystausa.com

Toto USA
Plumbing throughout,
totousa.com

Switch Modern
Lighting throughout,
switchmodern.com