Initially, Tarah had wanted a backwoods-style path that felt less refined and more rugged. Drew, however, proposed a clean path that could be shoveled and provide greater clarity for guests. "In the end, Drew won, and I’m not mad about it," says Tarah. "It’s not as charming as I would have liked, but it’s very functional and so easy to plow during our cold, snowy seasons. We added some really lovely path lighting to give it a nice ambient evening glow."
Sited within 44 acres of Unesco World Biosphere Reserve in the Baa Atoll, the thatched water villas at this resort are designed with floor to ceiling windows for panoramic ocean views.
A new floor plan opened up the home taking advantage of both the natural lighting and cross-ventilation—minimizing the need for electricity and air-conditioning.
The main room and master bedroom open directly to the pool.
Mila designed the home’s concrete pool, which is finished with a custom plaster. The pool area includes sleek chairs from Cast + Crew.
"The semi-public front porch projects out from the front of the house to grab views of the 'camel head' part of the mountain,
The atrium is a lovely place to sit outside while still being somewhat protected.
One of the second-level bedrooms looks down to the ground-level courtyard.
My Neighbor Totoro
A section of the facade—a cross between a shoji screen and a barn door—slides open. Planter boxes contain edible varieties that fuel Mary’s culinary explorations.
The fire pit area displays a 48-inch concrete fire bowl, woven chairs, and upcycled tree stumps for kid-friendly-seating.
Sphinx, the family Carolina dog, scouts the perimeter of the Concrete Collaborative pavers in the backyard. The pavers were installed on a slight angle to channel water to the surrounding gravel, lawn, and planting beds. This substantially lowers the landscape's water demand. Perforated PVC pipes and a pump move excess rainfall (which would otherwise go to storm drains) into an underground basin where it can later drain off. Redwood fencing reflects the material palette of the interior and creates visual continuity around the backyard.
The secluded location of the house at the edge of a retired shale bank allows the luxury of an open outdoor shower. Corrugated steel siding provides a durable, zero-maintenance exterior finish and captures the changing sun and woodland shadows.
An energy-efficient TPO membrane covers the living room’s zigzag roof.
Designed by award-winning Sant Architects, this four-bedroom vacation rental near Topanga elevates the concept of a mountain retreat to new heights—from its raw, concrete facade and hillside pool, to the Bauhaus-inspired interiors that feature expansive glass walls that overlook the Pacific Ocean. The clean, architectural lines are expressed using iron beams, concrete slabs, timber-panelled walls, and glass, and the sprawling, open-plan living area features a slide-away fireplace and enormous windows that seamlessly transition the property from cosy winter retreat to breezy summer getaway.
On the outskirts of Grândola—a small Alentejan town in the Setúbal district of Portugal—a dramatic architectural form sits in the vast, arid landscape amidst cork trees and herds of cows. The whitewashed guesthouse is known as Casa da Volta, which translates as "Home of the Return,