The Misshapen Beauty

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  Studio JYO and Brooks McDonald  transform an awkward geometric home into a fluid, modern guest retreat

In the living room, the sectional and armchairs are by Coup d’Etat, the coffee table is from Good Colony.
Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.

“The home was most likely built circa 1975 although I do not have a specific record for this,” says architect Brooks McDonald about this hexagonal guest house in Palo Alto that he and designer Joo Oh of Studio JYO collaborated on a curved, modern revival. “The building’s distinctive form—two interlocking hexagons—presented an early design challenge. Rather than resisting it, the project leans into the architecture, allowing fluid, organic forms to emerge,” says Joo Oh.

The kitchen features an Apparatus chandelier that hangs over a custom curvaceous island. The marble slabs that cover the countertops and backsplash were found at DaVinci Marble. The hardware is by Sun Valley Bronze.
Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.
The dining area also features lighting from Apparatus. The chairs are from Insidher Land and the rug is from Floor Design Rugs. Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.

The homeowners were previously focused on renovating a property in San Francisco but decided to relocate to Palo Alto out of frustration with the city’s extended permitting process. “The client purchased this and the property next door, with the intention of making this a pool and guest house to supplement their main house next door,” says McDonald.

The primary bedroom features Homeoncenter’s Arguello Bed, the drapes are made using Color Moonlit Velvet by Kerry Joyce verge / 1056-04 / cabernet / flax. The side table is DWR’s Componibili Storage and the rug is Nordic Knots “Big Buds.
Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.
The primary bathroom features stone found at DaVinci Marble. The lights are from Visual Comfort.
Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.

Of course the structure’s unique, geometric shape was appealing but also very challenging. “The home’s distinctive form—particularly the geometry of the ceiling—presented an initial challenge, but ultimately became one of its most compelling features and the springboard for a playful, concept-driven design,” Oh remarks. However, the teams rose to the challenge and focused on the clients’ goals of opening up the living areas towards the outdoor spaces in order to take advantage of the views and landscape. McDonald recalls, “It was requested that bedrooms be quiet, private spaces nesteled on the first floor.”

The second guest room houses Homeoncenter’s Valencia Bed, another of DWR’s Componibili Storage units and the Taylor moss rug from Revival. Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.
The guest bathroom floor features Marazzi Scenario Nero Convex tile. Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.

They teams embraced the shape and create a beautiful fusion with the outdoors. “One of our first concepts was the infinity edge of the pool, and to be able to see that from inside the house at the ground floor, which brings this waterfall aspect into the home to accentuate the spa like sensation of occupying this house,” McDonald notes.

Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.
The pool deck features chaise chairs from RH. Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.

The finished result is a playful transformation that honors the structure’s retro origins while accommodating 21st-century living. What was once an odd guest house now is an architecturally compelling retreat. McDonald proclaims, “The clients are thrilled with the final result—a home that balances a sense of play with an elevated, sophisticated aesthetic.”

Photos by John Merkl, styling by Yedda Morrison.