Of more than 100 houses that Ray Kappe designed over his long and distinguished career, the one he designed for himself and his family in Los Angeles' Rustic Canyon is the most important, and arguably "the greatest house in Southern California," according to at least one expert.
Unlike most hillside homes, the Kappe house isn't tucked into the hillside. Rather, it runs along and above it, seeming to hover over the slope on Brooktree Road in the Palisades. The structural plan allows its 4,000 square feet of wood and glass to rest on laminated beams bolted to six massive, deep-set concrete towers. Gurgling water from natural springs courses through the space underneath, running down the rocky hillside to the street. Mature eucalyptus, sycamore, oak and bamboo shroud the home in an evergreen canopy.
The kitchen, above, is at the highest end of the house. Kappe, described by Architectural Record as "an unsung modern master," has designed many houses of steel and concrete and has claimed not to prefer one material over another. His own house, with all its beautiful wood, has earned him the label of "warm modernist." You can read more about this legendary home in today's Home section. But whatever you do, you must see this photo gallery:
Photo: The kitchen of Ray Kappe's Rustic Canyon home. Credit: Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times
