Icon - Arrow LeftAn icon we use to indicate a rightwards action. Icon - Arrow RightAn icon we use to indicate a leftwards action. Icon - External LinkAn icon we use to indicate a button link is external. Icon - MessageThe icon we use to represent an email action. Icon - Down ChevronUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - CloseUsed to indicate a close action. Icon - Dropdown ArrowUsed to indicate a dropdown. Icon - Location PinUsed to showcase a location on a map. Icon - Zoom OutUsed to indicate a zoom out action on a map. Icon - Zoom InUsed to indicate a zoom in action on a map. Icon - SearchUsed to indicate a search action. Icon - EmailUsed to indicate an emai action. Icon - FacebookFacebooks brand mark for use in social sharing icons. flipboard Icon - InstagramInstagrams brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - PinterestPinterests brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - TwitterTwitters brand mark for use in social sharing icons. Icon - Check MarkA check mark for checkbox buttons.
You are reading

Henry Golding’s Minimalist, Quiet LA Backyard Oasis by OWIU Studio

Search

Start typing to search...

Search
Landscape Architecture

Henry Golding’s Minimalist, Quiet LA Backyard Oasis by OWIU Studio

August 11, 2022

Henry Golding first rose to superstardom as the handsome lead in the blockbuster Crazy Rich Asians, with its opulent sets and splashy production design. But the place where the Persuasion actor spends his off time these days—his own backyard, at home in LA—is decidedly simpler.

Golding and his wife, Liv Lo, purchased the circa-1953 Venice Beach home in 2021; just a day after they closed on the property, their daughter, Lyla, was born. So when the couple enlisted their close friend Amanda Gunawan as well as Joel Wong, Singapore natives and principals of LA-based OWIU Studio, to re-do the small backyard, it was with their daughter in mind.

The result is a compact but considered space, with a serene material palette, organic shapes and structures that denote separate spaces, and a Japanese onsen-inspired spa area.

Take a look.

Photography by Justin Chung, courtesy of OWIU.

&#8\2\20;We really wanted to create a home that felt like one complete space,&#8\2\2\1; Henry explained to OWIU, and the same principles applied to the backyard. The 530-square-foot space is connected on a raised deck made from Trex composite decking, divided into spaces for cooking, eating, relaxing, and bathing. The grill area has a two-tone counter of emerald quartzite and concrete. &#8\2\20;I love cooking, and we really love hosting our friends for meals, so we wanted an outdoor space we could also entertain in,&#8\2\2\1; Henry said.
Above: “We really wanted to create a home that felt like one complete space,” Henry explained to OWIU, and the same principles applied to the backyard. The 530-square-foot space is connected on a raised deck made from Trex composite decking, divided into spaces for cooking, eating, relaxing, and bathing. The grill area has a two-tone counter of emerald quartzite and concrete. “I love cooking, and we really love hosting our friends for meals, so we wanted an outdoor space we could also entertain in,” Henry said.
The grill structure continues into a cast-in-place concrete wall. As it curves down to the ground, it becomes the back of a slatted-wood bench for ample seating around the fire pit.
Above: The grill structure continues into a cast-in-place concrete wall. As it curves down to the ground, it becomes the back of a slatted-wood bench for ample seating around the fire pit.
Henry and Lyla in the fire pit area. Amanda envisioned the family entertaining and relaxing outside long after dark, &#8\2\20;with the flame being the only source of light.&#8\2\2\1;
Above: Henry and Lyla in the fire pit area. Amanda envisioned the family entertaining and relaxing outside long after dark, “with the flame being the only source of light.”
On the other side of the concrete wall is a laid-back sitting area and outdoor table.
Above: On the other side of the concrete wall is a laid-back sitting area and outdoor table.
At the other end of the backyard is an onsen-esque spa, set apart by a stone surround. The \18-foot slatted wood structure adds privacy and casts striated shade reminiscent of komorebi, according to the studio, which is the Japanese word for the feeling of dappled light coming through the trees.
Above: At the other end of the backyard is an onsen-esque spa, set apart by a stone surround. The 18-foot slatted wood structure adds privacy and casts striated shade reminiscent of komorebi, according to the studio, which is the Japanese word for the feeling of dappled light coming through the trees.
In addition to a jacuzzi, the outdoor spa includes a shower for rinse-offs.
Above: In addition to a jacuzzi, the outdoor spa includes a shower for rinse-offs.
The team emphasized intimacy and privacy for the young family.
Above: The team emphasized intimacy and privacy for the young family.
A wall-mounted wooden bench serves as seating for meals and a place for Lyla to play. Amanda had Lyla in mind during the project, and the space is designed to be flexible and adaptable as she grows up.
Above: A wall-mounted wooden bench serves as seating for meals and a place for Lyla to play. Amanda had Lyla in mind during the project, and the space is designed to be flexible and adaptable as she grows up.
Lyla in the backyard.
Above: Lyla in the backyard.

For more LA oases, see:

(Visited 918 times, 2 visits today)
You need to login or register to view and manage your bookmarks.
Add to Collection
New Collection

Explore Deeper Into These Areas

Previous Post

The Garden Decoder: What Is a 'Keystone Plant'?

August 10, 2022
Next Post

A Sense of Place: The Work of Garden Designer Caleb Davis in Maine

August 12, 2022

Have a Question or Comment About This Post?

Join the conversation

Related Stories

Read all recent posts

join us on Instagram Logo

gardenista_sourcebook

Sourcebook for Cultivated Living, sister site to @remodelista
Tag us using #gardenista 🌿🌱

Gardens & Outdoor Living

v5.0

×
Join the Remodelista Family of Websites

Become a Member at no charge

When you register as a free Member of the Remodelista family of websites (Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home), you gain access to all current posts plus 10 archived posts per month, our internal bookmarking tool, and the community bulletin board.

Member benefits include:

  • Access to all posts published in the past year
  • Access 10 archived posts (older than one year) per month on each site
  • Use of our internal bookmark tool, so you can save products, posts, and other pages for quick reference
  • Access to our community bulletin board so you can ask and answer design-related questions
  • Unlimited access to the Product Catalogs, Design Travel sources, and Architect & Designer Directory listings
  • Choose from our ten newsletters to keep up with the latest on the sites

Or Subscribe for Maximum Value!

For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.



Subscriber benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to all three sites
  • Weekly access to subscriber-only content
  • Ad-free browsing environment
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
×
Subscribe to the Remodelista family of websites

For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.



Subscriber benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to all three sites
  • Weekly access to subscriber-only content
  • Ad-free browsing environment
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99
×
Sorry! As a registered member you get 10 free posts from our archive (posts more than a year old) every 30 days. You have reached your limit for this 30-day period. If you would like to access unlimited posts from the archive (ad free, too), become a subscriber today, and keep reading as many articles as you want.

Full Access Individual Subscription

Benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home sites
  • Ad-free browsing environment
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay just 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99


×
Sorry! You have reached your limit of three (3) free posts from our archive every 30 days. You can increase this to 10 posts by joining as a free Member, or read unlimited posts with no ads by becoming a paid Subscriber.

Subscribe to the Remodelista family of websites

For $5/month ($59.99 paid annually) you'll enjoy unlimited, ad-free access to Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home and all the benefits of Membership.



Subscriber benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to all three sites
  • Weekly access to subscriber-only content
  • Unrestricted access to 30,000+ archived posts
  • Receive the full-text daily newsletters
  • All features that Members have access to
  • Annual subscribers pay 50% off the monthly subscription price of $9.99

Become a Member at no charge

When you register as a free Member of the Remodelista family of websites (Remodelista, Gardenista, and The Organized Home), you gain access to all current posts plus 10 archived posts per month, our internal bookmarking tool, and the community bulletin board.

Member benefits include:

  • Access to all posts published in the past year
  • Access 10 archived posts (older than one year) per month on each site
  • Use of our internal bookmark tool, so you can save products, posts, and other pages for quick reference
  • Access to our community bulletin board so you can ask and answer design-related questions
  • Unlimited access to the Product Catalogs, Design Travel sources, and Architect & Designer Directory listings
  • Choose from our ten newsletters to keep up with the latest on the sites

My Account

Your member profile is powered by memberstack