The Hidden Speakeasy in This 'California Meets Japan' Style Home Is Inspired by a Bar in Tokyo

The exterior of a California desert house featuring a pool terrace and serene plant surroundings.

Created as the ultimate escape for a young family who split their time between several other locations in the United States – Washington, Idaho, and Hawaii – this contemporary Californian retreat offers its owners spectacular mountain views and dramatic sunsets.

The single-story house sprawls seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, all arranged around a utopic courtyard that connects the different elements of the house. At the center of the courtyard is a water feature with stepping stones crossing to the different wings of the house, lacing a canopy of zen across the property.

Each wing comprises a separate living space, providing private quarters in which the owners (parents of two young children and two 'bernadoodles') can unwind and detach from their busy lives. Meanwhile, the main bulk of this modern home culminates in the expansive open-plan living area, where each space runs into one another and rolls seamlessly into the immense desert surroundings. The designers have created a space with excellent sociable potential, helped by a Japanese-inspired, tucked-away speakeasy bar, should the mood strike.

"I pulled inspiration from my visits to Bar Tambi in Tokyo when designing the furnishings for the speakeasy," says Suzie. "Emerald greens, rich navy blues, bronze accents and moody, rich woods define this space from the rest of the lighter, sunnier spaces more commonly seen in the desert." (Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors)

(Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors.)

A quiet oasis in which to both relax and entertain and sited on a beautiful golf course, the property’s spanorama convinced the homeowners to launch a transformation to match those views.

Led by David Lucas, co-founder with his sisters, Suzie and Rachel, of Lucas Interiors — with whom the couple had worked on several previous projects — the plan was to reimagine existing spaces and design new ones. "We wanted to make sure to balance what we remodeled with what was existing," explains David.

"The house itself is very rectilinear and has strong lines with a limited number of materials," says David. "We felt that we needed to introduce organic forms and texture to soften up the architecture." (Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors)

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That balancing act involved marrying function and form, and, with its clean architectural lines, the main focus of the design is on an easy indoor-outdoor living flow, thanks to expansive glass doors that provide access to the plentiful exterior areas, created with the help of BYLA Landscape Architects. "The house is now designed so that you are aware of the setting in every part," says David. "It takes full advantage of the scenery and the beautiful weather."

"The central courtyard water feature and stepping stones that connect the four wings of the house are really unique and set the zen mood for visitors entering into the home," says Suzie. (Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors)

The dramatic yet minimalist entrance courtyard has been designed to create the sense of stepping into an almost spiritual space, before it gives way to the living areas, where the surrounding desert hues are reflected in the team's choices for the interior finishes and furnishings.

"The core palette is neutral, in order to create a tranquil and organic environment," says Suzie Lucas. "When layering colors, we leaned towards tones that evoked the mood of the space. So, for instance, we used rich green velvet and bronze accents to define the mood of the speakeasy."

Located in what is often the home’s first entryway, a large bar to gather around was inspired by Suzie’s visits to Bar Tambi in Tokyo. Leading from the home bar, the lighter and sunnier spaces more commonly seen in Californian desert homes provide an interesting contrast.

"I think the primary bath remodel is the new design element most obviously inspired by not only a Japanese aesthetic, but also function," explains David. "We created a Japanese “wet room” complete with a soaking tub which makes this space more restorative and social for our clients to spend time together. (Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors)

"We were also inspired by Japanese gardens and the Moon Viewing platform of Katsura Villa, extending the teak wood floor out to the exterior so it ‘floats’ over a reflecting pool." (Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors)

Taking on board further culturual influences and drawing inspiration from the peacefulness of Japanese gardens, natural materials are combined with tactile fabrics, breathing life into the generous spaces.

So, for example, in one of the sitting areas, bronze and velvet-wrapped lounge chairs complement sliding wooden slat screens and patinated metal paneling. "In terms of the architectural elements, we wanted to bring in gutsier materials such as steel, wire-brushed woods, and large format stone," explains David. "We chose elements that would give the house more depth and interest to elevate the overall design."

"Some of the more special pieces that we incorporated are these Alexander Lamont woven copper lanterns which flank the custom bed platform in the primary bedroom. Pieces like these sit juxtaposed to the crisp, linear architecture and complement the softer textiles used throughout," says Suzie. (Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors)

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Another crucial requirement for this second home was to be flexible, with the objective of accommodating several different groups of people staying for varied lengths of time. "The house is very open, but manages to also provide areas to retreat to," says David. "Privacy was a major element that we focused on,’ adds Suzie. "Our intention was to balance that big, open, airy, California feeling with more intimate spaces."

"In the great room, we kept the palette mostly neutral," says Suzie. "Color was used carefully and was culled from the rich flora of the desert landscape surrounding the home." (Image credit: Douglas Friedman. Design: Lucas Interiors)

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Checking out the house’s dramatic entertaining spaces, which are refined and made more welcoming by a variety of smaller-scale spots in which to sit back and relax, it’s safe to say that mission was accomplished.