Red Balau Envelops California Residence
The homeowner personally selected red balau to envelop the residence primarily because of its lustrous beauty and intense reddish brown hue. Red balau has a tight, dense, interlocked grain and an extremely consistent color. It has the richness of mahogany and is prized for its durability, strength, and its natural resistance to termites and decay.
Due to its exceptional strength and hardness, red balau is often used for heavy-duty applications, such as commercial truck beds. "This home has very deep window sills that called for wide-width boards. Red balau is so strong and tough that it won't warp, sag or wiggle. It basically lasts forever. Plus with an annual coat of oil, it will maintain its rich warm red color and stay beautiful over time," said Mercier.
In the interior of the residence, the design team encountered a large open floor plan. "We saw right away that a decision in one space would affect other spaces, so all elements had to be sympathetic and speaking the same language," said Pierson. Compatible woods such as teak and walnut were used to maintain thematic consistency throughout the home.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the home's interior is a dramatic floating staircase that appears to spring from the wall and hover in space with no visible support. The cantilevered stairs are actually made with protruding steel arms clad in 100-year-old teak that was specially sourced. The entire stairwell is bathed in natural light that imparts a dreamy glow to the century-old teak wood.
"You can see in this home that a beautiful wood treatment honors the space it occupies, and is honored by it," notes Pierson.
"Red balau is so strong and tough that it won't warp, sag or wiggle. It basically lasts forever. Plus with an annual coat of oil, it will maintain its rich warm red color and stay beautiful over time." — Christopher Mercier, AIA, (fer) studio, LLC
Frequently asked questions
Why was red balau chosen for the California residence exterior?+
The homeowner personally selected red balau for its lustrous beauty and intense reddish brown hue. It has a tight, dense, interlocked grain, consistent color, and the richness of mahogany, along with durability, strength, and natural resistance to termites and decay.
What are the typical heavy-duty uses of red balau wood?+
Due to its exceptional strength and hardness, red balau is often used for heavy-duty applications such as commercial truck beds.
How do you maintain the color of red balau wood?+
With an annual coat of oil, red balau will maintain its rich warm red color and stay beautiful over time. Its strength also prevents it from warping, sagging, or wiggling.
Why was red balau suitable for the home's deep window sills?+
The deep window sills called for wide-width boards, and red balau is strong and tough enough that it won't warp, sag, or wiggle, making it ideal for the application.
How was the floating staircase in the residence constructed?+
The cantilevered stairs are made with protruding steel arms clad in specially sourced 100-year-old teak. The stairwell is bathed in natural light that gives the century-old teak a dreamy glow.
What woods were used inside the residence to complement the red balau exterior?+
Compatible woods such as teak and walnut were used in the interior to maintain thematic consistency throughout the open floor plan, ensuring all elements spoke the same design language.