A home built in the style of traditional Japanese homes and Frank Lloyd Wright, tucked away into the hillside of a view lot in Rancho Santa Fe, is the perfect setting for an inside space filled with vintage photographs, sculpture and paintings, and flows outside to serene paths, decks and hidden corners and onto scattered seating where a banquet of sensual surprises awaits.

A design relationship that led to the creation of custom interiors, the garden and more than one Asian feast in this sumptuously casual environment, all started with a request for a gong. The homeowner wanted a gong for her dining room and enlisted the help of designer Michael Soriano, whom she tracked down from the interiors he did for the restaurant Roppongi.

At this time, the art existed but the interiors had not been fully developed. Landscaping was minimal, consisting largely of limestone, decks and plantings of rosemary. There was limited access to the outdoors and to the views. As the client and designer relationship developed so did the character of the home. They wanted to create separate but integrated areas conducive to entertaining.

Inspiration for the interior custom work as well as the garden was sparked by what Soriano describes as an amazing art collection from Asia, Africa, India and Europe. This included vintage and contemporary photography, textiles and sculptures. From a custom grid work ceiling in the entry, where a rug is displayed on the wall, to the custom primavera wood shelving, Soriano’s total design intent was to showcase the collections.

Entertaining in this environment offers guests a visual feast of art along with the visual feast of presentation and gustatory pleasure of good food. With any luck, the sun sill set in a blaze of persimmon red and silver moon rise for viewing.