The Liljestrands presented Ossipoff with demanding requirements, while the topography and highly variable daily weather conditions—sun, wind, and rain—imposed further constraints. The house is on two terraces, with the carport, entrance, and main part of the long, narrow house on the uphill terrace, and a lower story opening onto the downhill terrace. On a third, lower tier is a
swimming pool. The upper side of the house is well sheltered from frequent mountain showers, while low-lying wooden
louvers draw cooling breezes toward the larger openings on the side facing downhill. A long, open-sided
recreation room extends beneath the bedrooms and faces onto a wide lawn. The large master bedroom at one end is angled to preserve an old stand of eucalyptus trees, and a sharp, wraparound deck juts out from the living room end of the house, overlooking the pool, the treetops, and a wide expanse of the city and the
leeward side of the island stretching into the distance. Every room has a view. The house is made of
wood frame with
retaining walls of
concrete block in support. Large glass windows under overhanging
eaves combine with carefully placed partitions to provide both shade and filtered daylight. Interior walls of
redwood are
bleach-stained to mute the color and highlight the
grain. The
staircase, built-in
cabinets,
countertops, and several pieces of
furniture were fashioned from the fine wood of a single, large
monkeypod tree. The open-beamed
ceiling adds to the spaciousness of the
living rooms, while a sandstone
fireplace with
copper hood lends a simultaneous feel of coziness. The exterior landscaping was designed by the noted
landscape architects, Robert and Catherine Thompson, who were friends of the family. ==Liljestrand Foundation==