Sherry Hope-Kennedy's Diverging Designs - Design Bureau

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Sherry Hope-Kennedy’s Diverging Designs

Thursday, January 30th, 2014

Photos by Bess Friday and Joe Fletcher

The Van Tassel house is a study in clean lines and timeless, yet modern style, whereas the “Mad Science” lounge is edgy and industrial, influenced by chemical structures and laboratory instruments. Despite their differences, these diverse projects share a common link: their designer. Sherry Hope-Kennedy demonstrated her design range with the California family residence and the temporary installation for San Francisco’s Exploratorium museum. Here’s how she approached each project.

Van Tassel house

Designed around a central, light-flooded courtyard, the U-shaped house needed an update to accommodate a growing family with three young children. “I intended to thoughtfully combine modern architecture with a warm aesthetic,” Hope- Kennedy says. “I created an open floor plan for the family, doubled the square footage from the original house, and gave the space a sense of livable luxury.”

Sustainability was a major driver in Hope-Kennedy’s design, but strict build- ing codes prevented many changes to the home’s exterior. Instead, the house uses Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood, recycled glass tiles, natural fabrics, non-toxic paint, and non-formaldehyde insulation.

Bedrooms and communal spaces make the most of the home’s shape, divid- ing seamlessly, and with French doors opening to the central courtyard and an indoor/outdoor fireplace, the house took full advantage of its California location, too. 

 To read about the "Mad Science Lounge," pick up a copy of our special edition Architecture: Innovative Spaces Shaping Global Design. 

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