Wall Street Journal

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THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Friday, November 3, 2017 | M3 SKI & MOUNTAIN HOMES

INSIDE STORY A Home With a Hint of Monastery A Colorado couple with a passion for Japan and climbing builds a quiet home

BY CANDACE JACKSON

NORIE KIZAKI AND DAVID WOLF knew just what they wanted for the house they were building in Colorado: a home that reflected Ms. Kizaki’s childhood in a Bud- dhist monastery in rural Japan, where her father was a monk. But they also wanted a light touch: a relatively modest size and an exterior that wouldn’t stand out too much in their Boulder neigh- borhood, with its mix of 1950s-era ranch houses and colonial bunga- lows. “We wanted to incorporate the stuff we liked about Japanese houses, but we didn’t want people to say, ‘turn left at the Japanese house,’ ” says Mr. Wolf. The result is a 1,800-square- foot, two-story, three-bedroom, 2½-bathroom modern minimalist home. It has a typical gable roof but with an enameled-steel wrap- per that folds onto the flat top surface. A contemporary porch swing sits out front. “I think porch swings feel really neighborly,” says Mr. Wolf. The Japanese element is visible,

but subtle. The front door and part (5) JOURNAL STREET WALL THE FOR ZUCKER CARMEL of the facade is shou-sugi-ban cypress, a Japanese charred-wood To fit three bedrooms and two SUBTLE Norie Kizaki and David Wolf, technique that preserves the wood. bathrooms into the 700-square- inset, built a home with subtle Japa The home was completed in 2015 foot upper level, Mr. Meade says nese style on the facade, top, and rich at a cost of $750,000 to $800,000. they kept hallways and corridors traditions inside, above and below. Ms. Kizaki, a ski and climbing to a minimum and ceilings high to guide, and Mr. Wolf, an avid create a feeling of space. climber who runs a wealth-advi- Off the master bedroom is a sory firm, hired architect E.J. cantilevered bathroom that holds a Meade of Denver- and Boulder- wet room, or Japanese ofuru, with based Arch11 to handle the a shower and a deep Japa- design. As it happened, nese soaking tub. A win- Mr. Meade was famil- dow placed above the iar with many of the tub allows a view of principles of Japa- the Flatiron Moun- nese design. tains. “It’s the Jap- The couple re- anese sense of a used the founda- privileged view of tion of the original nature, versus a home they had pur- wall of windows,” chased in 2010 and says Mr. Meade. WOODWORK The kitchen, left, has a painting of Japan by the couple’s friend torn down. They The same is true of Craig Muderlak. The wood facade and door are made of shousugiban cypress. bought the 1/3-acre prop- a front garden visible erty for about $600,000. through a pair of low win- Wolf’s office downtown, and to a on the property since the 1950s. The home’s interior has many dows in the tatami room. favorite market. In addition to the Mr. Wolf also planted Japanese traditional Japanese elements. The The home has white oak floors 1950s teardown ranch house, the kabocha squash and, out front, small entry room is inspired by a and white walls throughout. Furni- lot had a 575-square-foot guest there is a large rose bush that the traditional genkan, where guests ture and decoration are kept to a who grew up on the border be- cottage, where they lived during couple liked so much they insisted can slip off their shoes and change minimum, and include a couple of tween Iowa and Illinois, also construction of their home. Mr. Meade take it into account into house slippers. paintings by friend Craig Muder- moved to Colorado for school, Today, they use the second floor when designing the house. The main living space is set up lak. One, in the kitchen, shows earning a master’s in business and of the cottage as a guest space. With a baby due early next year, around a tatami room, surrounded Mount Yotei, where Ms. Kizaki a law degree at the University of The ground floor also holds their the two plan to stay put this win- by sliding shoji screen doors. With spends three months a year as a Colorado in Boulder. Volkswagen RV camper, and all ter. They have yet to decorate the no furniture except for the rice backcountry ski guide. The two met in 2002 through a their ski and climbing gear. nursery, across the hall from a straw mats on the ground, the Ms. Kizaki moved to Colorado mutual friend with whom they A central design element of the bedroom used as a home gym. couple uses the space for medita- about 20 years ago to attend traveled to Ecuador for a month- home is the floating staircase of Mr. Wolf says the Japanese sen- tion, dining or watching TV on a graduate school at Denver Univer- long climbing trip. They married plate steel and tension wires in the sibility in their home design is set tucked behind a door, along sity for international communica- in 2008 in a ceremony at the mon- living room. The room also has big also related to their passion for with silk pillows for sitting. Ms. tions. She took up mountain astery where Ms. Kizaki grew up. glass doors that open to a deck climbing, where “fast and light” is Kizaki’s mother sleeps in the ta- climbing as a weekend hobby and They say they were drawn to and a large backyard. Outside, is a the name of the game. tami room when she visits, using a soon left a consulting job to pur- the Boulder property by its prox- lawn, vegetable garden and Con- “It’s everything you need but trifold Japanese futon. sue guiding full time. Mr. Wolf, imity to the mountains, to Mr. cord grape orchard that has been nothing more,” he says.

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