Novum Architecture, Inc.

Describe the project.

Located a few blocks from the Hermosa Beach Strand, this modern custom home sits on a moderate-sized lot previously occupied by a duplex. Understanding the challenges in dealing with zoning restrictions and the Coastal Commission, the clients decided to completely demolish the existing structure and build their forever home from the ground up. The floating staircase, centrally located and adjacent to the main entry, allows for a subtle separation of the kitchen and dining areas from the family room while offering an open floor plan. The main living area, which includes high ceilings and a beautiful sliding track door that disappears into a pocket, creates an indoor-outdoor experience where they can enjoy the ocean view. 

Tell us about your business.

Novum Architecture, Inc. is a boutique architecture firm dedicated to creating the best innovative yet practical, cost-effective design. We’ve developed a multidisciplinary team ready to take on projects of any shape, size or style. Our success is based on the long-term relationships we have built with our clients, developers, contractors and professional consultants. We take pride in the detailing that comes with design. We use the latest 3D software, which allows our clients to truly understand the relationships between the structure and spaces and how they work together to allow for a more fluid design.  

What are your favorite sources of inspiration in your work?

We draw our inspiration from our passion for architecture, travel, innovation and culture. As architects and designers, we are fortunate to be able to exercise our creativity on a daily basis. We educate our clients while also encouraging them to share their ideas—which enables us to create a product that truly exceeds their expectations and expresses their desires. Balancing creativity and analysis is a significant process of every design. The journey of developing and selecting the right design identity for each client requires a series of design studies—from hand sketches to 3D modeling.

What is your favorite feature to include in a home office?  

A home office used to mean that you simply turn a bedroom into an office and call it a day. And maybe in some cases that still applies. However, now that more folks are working from home, really understanding the elements of design and incorporating them into a functional space where you can be comfortable, productive and professional at the same time is key. That might mean that a ground-level office with much natural light and ventilation opens into a courtyard or zen garden that creates fluidity and productivity while you’re working from home—not to mention an awesome background during online meetings.  

Photographed by DR Photography