The Open House

Author:

A far-flung vacation home offers a Bay Area family the ultimate indoor-outdoor escape

Exterior (from above, with ocean in the distance): The 5,600-square-foot indoor-outdoor residence is situated on two beachfront acres on the northern shore of Fiji’s Vomo Island. Photos by Sean Fennessy.

Although Fiji’s Vomo Island is more than 5,000 miles from her native Bay Area, interior designer Lindsay Gerber was right at home conceiving a retreat for clients who had purchased land on the private island. “So much of what we design is indoor-outdoor and, with this project, that was taken to the next level,” she says. “It just felt like second nature to me.” In this case, with the estate situated on two beachfront acres, Gerber envisioned sandy feet and wet bathing suits everywhere. “Nothing is too precious or perfect,” she continues. “That’s part of the beauty of any interior we do.”

The custom dining table by LGI was made by local artisans; the McGuire chairs were upholstered in a Perennials textile, while the pendants came from Coup D’Etat. Photos by Sean Fennessy.

The tropical getaway is among a string of residential and office spaces that she has completed for the clients—a couple well known in the tech industry who have two daughters—and is the farthest yet for Gerber’s namesake practice. While her office is in San Francisco, she has collaborated with firms based elsewhere: Canada’s Architecture Building Culture, led by Mark Ritchie; New Zealand’s Wraight + Associates Landscape Architects; and Australia’s DJCoalition, which handled the architectural lighting design.

Through calls, Zooms and site visits, the group worked hand in hand to successfully conjure a “beautiful architectural box, with interiors that were meant to let the surroundings be the star,” Gerber says. The material palette features Accoya wood on the exterior and, inside and out, an off-white Portuguese limestone called Moca Creme. The latter was employed for walls, floors and countertops, providing a unifying element in the house.

RH’s Cloud sectional, upholstered in a Perennials fabric, anchors the living room, which also includes a locally made coffee table designed by LGI. Photos by Sean Fennessy.

Sky-Frame sliding doors were installed throughout. When open, the boundary between the indoors and outdoors disappears; when closed, the frameless glass panels still allow for maximum views. (Drapery can also be pulled across.) The expansive covered patio is completely open-air and adjoins the zero-edge pool. Meanwhile, the bedrooms boast alfresco amenities, too, such as outdoor daybeds and outdoor showers with gardens. The primary suite is detached from the rest of the home and has its own patio and hot tub that overlook the ocean.

The bedrooms boast alfresco areas with daybeds, covered in a Perennials fabric. Photos by Sean Fennessy.
Along a walkway that provides access to the detached primary suite, the Accoya wood slatted screens make for a striking architectural element. Photos by Sean Fennessy.

To furnish the dwelling, Gerber relied on numerous California makers and vendors. The custom headboards were fabricated by J.F. Fitzgerald in South San Francisco, using a pebbled sand-colored leather from Holland & Sherry. Her lighting selections include blown-glass pendants by Los Angeles artist Alison Berger as well as the natural rattan Sea Urchin pendants from San Francisco showroom Coup D’Etat.

In the primary bedroom, custom pieces by LGI, including the limestone-topped nightstand and built-in leather headboard, are combined with Alison Berger glass pendants. Photos by Sean Fennessy.

In addition to several crates of goods that she shipped to Fiji, Gerber enlisted local artisans for custom statement pieces like the 14-foot-long hand- scraped mahogany dining table, stained an espresso hue, plus all of the throw pillows, bench cushions and drapery. “Whether here in California or on a tiny island in Fiji, I always enjoy working with local talent,” she notes. “It imbues each project with soul and a special energy.”

Fienza’s Shinto cast-stone bathtub, paired with a vintage woven side table from 1stDibs, is a showstopper in the primary bathroom. Photos by Sean Fennessy.
The bathrooms feature Portuguese limestone surfaces, inside and out; the plumbing is by Aquaeco. Photos by Sean Fennessy.

When the clients initially shared their Fiji plans, the designer remembers her husband, Brett Northart, the CEO of Lindsay Gerber Interiors, wondering if the family of four would frequent a property so far from their full-time residence. Much to everyone’s delight, “they are there all the time,” Gerber says. “They’re really enjoying the home. It’s their happy place.”