Tucked beneath a grassy roof covered by nearly 200 species of plants and grasses, the structure is virtually invisible from the nearby street. In fact, the 1,400-square-foot house is so well hidden in the earth that it doesn’t seem to register on the radar of local wildlife either. Birds, butterflies, bees, dragonflies, hawks, snakes, lizards, and frogs all treat the house like just another grassy knoll.
The side walls have been treated as vertical extension of the horizontal surface of the garden, and are used for growing climbers such as jasmine, grapes, honeysuckle, raspberries, beans, peas, and even a climbing fig. Colorful bird’s houses and bug hotels are also mounted on the walls.
The same red brick flooring from the living room continues to the outdoor patio, an idyllic place for Kari to paint. She regularly uses drop clothes for new pieces.
Kari’s colorful living room features a handful of her paintings, a splatter-painted sofa, midecentury wall sconces, and curved wooden coffee table. The palette was informed by her art and vice versa.
Sunflowers from her front yard and fresh produce add more color to the original turquoise kitchen, which includes an antique chair and breakfast table, mementos from her first apartment in New York.
A bathtub with breathtaking desert views is tucked into a nook just off the primary bedroom.
The primary bedroom is wrapped in plywood from floor to ceiling.
The original tongue-and-groove ceiling can still be seen in the living room, where an eclectic mix of furniture, including a Ligne Roset Togo, chair creates a laid-back ambiance.
This is John Lautner's Sheats House from 1963.
Herman Miller
A sculptural freestanding washbasin by Gessi is found in the first-floor powder room. The hex tiles are courtesy of Dear Human.
The Autonomous Tent is available to book for $495 plus tax per night. To make a reservation, visit the Treebones Resort website.
One North Face tent sits atop a deck; another caps the main building, which contains a kitchen and dining area.