Clean lines and clear perspectives define the minimalist ethos, masterfully implemented in the Montecito … (+)
Simple lines, neutral tones, pared-back furnishings. This minimalist residence in one of Southern California’s most desirable coastal neighborhoods adheres to these seemingly basic design elements. The truth is: simple is hard.
“It’s one of the most challenging architectural styles,” says owner Richard Frinier, “because every element and surface is visible, which requires time, attention to detail and patience.” Frinier is an award-winning furniture, textile and lighting designer known for redefining the concept of outdoor recreational areas in homes and resorts around the world. He is a California native whose signature ethos is “Bring the quality of life from indoors to outdoors and the relaxed spirit of nature to indoors.”
Richard and Catherine Frinier, award-winning furniture and textile designers, made conscious decisions … (+)
That’s what he did at 581 Freehaven Drive in Montecito, about 95 miles from LA. This is the masterfully designed exchouse he created with his wife and business partner Catherine, a secluded sanctuary that would help them experience life in the here and now and, under Frinier’s mid-century modern influence, live simultaneously indoors and out.
Outside, smooth horizontal surfaces merge with the curves of nature.
The home’s natural setting, on a ridge with mountains in the background and the Pacific Ocean below, became the couple’s canvas. Architect Thiep Cung, CEO of Warner Group Architects, was hired to draw up the plans. Familiar with building homes in Montecito, near Santa Barbara and Santa Monica, Cung understood the desire to create spaces that blend seamlessly with the natural habitat.
The ascetic aesthetics of the house result from the conscious avoidance of disorder and … (+)
The low-slung, four-bedroom home combines form and function, much like other masterpieces of mid-century modern architecture in the Hollywood Hills. The Friniers carefully decided what belongs in their home and what doesn’t. They tried to avoid clutter and ornamentation throughout the design process. “When you reach for something you need in the house, it’s pensive “There is something you don’t really need,” says Frinier. “Whereas something you don’t really need isn’t there.”
The meditative large room and the adjoining terrace “bring the quality of living inside to the outside and the … (+)
Architectural glass walls are the most prominent feature of the house. Walls, ceilings and overhangs run in an unbroken line that skilfully blurs the boundary between inside and outside. Frinier’s favorite room is a large glass-walled studio with views of the sea.
The sleek kitchen opens to a spacious terrace overlooking an infinity pool, two areas for cool entertaining. Limestone floors and a simple square-framed fireplace in the great room add a calming element. Richard Frinier used some of his own furniture and textile designs for the interior. Chairs and side tables in taupe and gray add organic curves to the discipline of straight lines.
Cool, linear efficiency turns the kitchen into a creative space.
The home’s master suite features walk-in closets, porcelain tile, and a jetted tub with windows that also face the outdoors. Choosing colors that harmonize with the natural tones was equally important. The Friniers opted for six similar neutral hues that would subtly change from moment to moment in the daylight. Ceilings in the great room and dining room are 9 to 12 feet high, letting in plenty of sunlight.
The aesthetic is ascetic but also intelligent. A single powered system controls lighting, temperature, music, entertainment, skylights, automatic blinds and security cameras. The house is solar powered and has two electric vehicle charging stations in the garage.
The west-facing infinity pool: absolute privacy amidst lush vegetation and a breeze blowing from the Pacific directly behind it.
Outside, mature olive trees and tiered gardens provide natural privacy, so the set-back house is mostly hidden from view from the street. All of this plays into the Friniers’ plan to make the house a calming and immediate experience. “When people come to visit, they say they feel a sense of calm, as if their inner spirit needs a moment to exhale,” he says.
Montecito is one of the most modestly wealthy enclaves anywhere. The community bordering Santa Barbara experienced a major surge in global interest when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle bought a home there in 2020. But the hillside neighborhood remains unremarkable to outsiders whizzing by on Route 101.
No ornamentation, no excess. Just elegant boxy shapes that house a vision of modern minimalism, … (+)
The Friniers’ Montecito home was built with precision, and the perfect basic structure could now be adopted by future owners who wish to bring in a different style. It is currently for sale for $11,950,000 through brokerage firm The Grubb Campbell Real Estate Group of Village Properties.
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