That Commanding Presence - Page 2

Contributing to the authenticity of the home are original ceiling fixtures that Walker describes as "slat lighting fixtures, probably a foot wide, of slat boards essentially running through every room, with the lighting above the slats coming through for a nice effect."

Here, you'll find wonderful indoor/outdoor living, with convenient access to a central patio that encloses a freeform, solar-heated swimming pool.

Architect Roger Matthews was born in Portland, Oregon, and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After returning home, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Architecture and Applied Arts at the University of Oregon.

Relocating to Palm Springs, he worked for architect Barry Frost for a time. Moving out to San Diego, Matthews worked for the architecture firm of Richard Wheeler, a mentor, starting out as a draftsman, and working his way up over the next two decades to chief designer.

"His career started with the Wheeler family, a pretty prominent firm," adds Walker. "Richard Wheeler did a lot of design work in San Diego, and their father [prominent San Diego architect William Henry Wheeler] actually designed Balboa Park and the Balboa Theatre."

As Wheeler's firm diversified, taking on larger commercial projects during the '50s and '60s, Matthews designed several of his own residential projects. By the late '60s, he moved to Pasadena, working as a project manager for the interior design division of Charles Luckman Associates.

Upon completion of his Luckman role, Mathews returned to San Diego, where he worked for Leahy & Associates, wrapping up his four-decade career at Kenison/Mosher Architects. By 1974, he had obtained his California architects license, and went on to launch his own partnership, Matthews-Leahy Associates.

Matthews' 'Joseph L. Klatt Spec House' is unique. "The architect designed five or six homes in La Jolla, then moved to Rancho Santa Fe," says Walker. "There's at least one house on that list that's historically designated, on Via Sienna, so he does have some precedent in La Jolla."

So, if you're looking for that classic California coastal experience, and a special mid-century modern property that 'feels like home,' this could be the one.