Embracing the spatial and geometric clarity of the Victorian era plan, as well as the simple and obvious late 19th century domestic mechanics that allow the house to alter and accent the variety of life's rituals - both the very private and the very social - connects the house to its past yet unlike its Victorian predecessor, the language of the building fabric is geometrically simple and materially rich, the rhythms of light and material more emphatic and pronounced, and the conventions of modern life more legible. Much of the furniture, designed by the architects, uses sustainable methods and materials: the Kitchen island work surface is white glass, honed by a local craftsman, the media credenza is bamboo, the dining room table is surfaced by reclaimed ebony from recycled furniture.