'Working on a project in Provence was a career-changing opportunity,' Ernesto Santalla, AIA LEED AP
(PRWEB) June 28, 2014
Studio Santalla (http://www.studiosantalla.com/), located at 1204 31 Street NW in Washington, DC, is receiving international press and accolades for architect’s Ernesto Santalla’s recent project on an 800-year-old historic home in the Provence region of France. The vacation home, located specifically in Rasteau, is home to an American family and is approximately 3,000 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths.
Writer Joanna Kulik recently featured the project of Santalla’s work – as well as obstacles – in the Polish print publication, The World Of Residences, Interiors & Gardens. Detailing the owners’ path toward renovation, Kulik wrote:
"It all started like in a fairy tale…Searching for a summer residence, Holly and Jan had found this magic 800-years-old house in southern France. It was a long way leading to [a] happy end, but at the edge of it they met their own paradise."
In particular, when referencing “long way,” Ernesto explains that the property, though beautiful and historical, had many obstacles, which included a hodge-podge of renovations that were completed by owners throughout the years. As a result, the interior and architectural design lacked focus and unity. Even further, the home carried an odd configuration including approximately 3-foot-thick walls, which made for a big challenge.
In the article, Kulik continues:
“When the new owners realized the actual condition of the property, he was the first person, who they immediately turned to for help. Ernesto Santalla - a Washington, DC architect and interior designer. Santalla admits that working on this Rasteau residence was a challenge. - The hardest thing for an architect is to give up what he knows by virtue of the way he's worked before. But working on this amazing and historic house required that I go outside of my comfort zone – he says. – As soon as I had come to terms with it, the design began to flow.”
Home and Design (link: http://www.homeanddesign.com/article.asp?article=21295) also highlighted the massive transformation of Santalla’s work that included the installation of paved patios and a private backyard pool for respite, limestone terraces and floor-to-ceiling glass walls in the new, modern kitchen to showcase the natural view of the home. In addition, Santalla vastly transformed the main seating area of the home with an inset, glass fireplace, windows enclosed with distressed metal, a white sofa to blend in with the white walls of the room, and a simple modern black coffee table as a bold contrast.
In addition to Home and Design, Santalla also received recent press from Houzz in an article that accurately captured much of the before-and-after process. The article, which can be found here (link: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/18507689/list/Houzz-Tour--800-Year-Old-Walls--Modern-Interiors-in-Provence), leads the reader through a series of images and in-depth descriptions of the home, emphasizing that the process was not performed over night; instead, the process was well thought-out and the layout of the home was a main element that had to be taken into account.
“This is the first project we completed virtually. The visits to the site were very spread out; so good communication with the contractor was essential to its success. Luckily, the French I learned in High School came back to me easily. When I visited the completed project, it exceeded my expectations. It is one of my proudest achievements as an architect.”
For more information about Studio Santalla, please visit http://www.studiosantalla.com.
About Studio Santalla:
Ernesto, president of Studio Santalla, inc., was born in Cuba and received a degree in Architecture from Cornell University in 1984, following which he moved to Washington, DC, and became a registered architect. Since then, he has contributed to the changing skyline of DC and worked on projects in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Europe. His work has been widely published and received numerous awards.
