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Cheng kept the dining room chandelier and the original fireplace, and gutted most everything else, careful to keep changes in the spirit of the home’s quiet character. "It's an unassuming structure with jaw-dropping, 180-degree views once you walk in the door," says the designer.

Piet Hein Eek's wooden chairs add a touch of color to the monochromatic apartment. "I'm a fan of simple modern furniture, with a twist," says Carr. "I wanted to buy everything from Piet Hein Eek."

Warm-toned furnishings designed by the homeowners complement the retreat’s minimalist desert aesthetic.

Usually hidden from direct view, cove lighting provides uplighting along the edges of a room onto the ceiling.

San Francisco–based architect Cary Bernstein has designed countless residential projects and worked with dozens of contractors. She knows well the difficulties of architect-contractor-client relationships, and she’s developed a pretty good system for making them work.

Floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views of the surrounding mountains, with interesting views from every angle.

After: Wood beams and concrete walls emerge from cutaways in the drywall, revealing the building’s industrial skeleton. The custom steel-and-oak dining table is by Ohio Design.

Bjorndahl hoped for a great room that would feel “curated and orchestrated, much like a tailored suit.” To achieve this goal, the team used cabinetry from Elmwood Fine Cabinetry in New Haven for the kitchen, the living room, the office, and the master bath. The home’s first floor measures approximately 1,000 square feet. The dining area features a 60-inch round table from Design Within Reach and Eames molded plywood dining chairs from Workplace Resource.

"When you are in the dining room, you have these amazing panoramic landscape views," Fong says. "The furniture is simple, which lets the landscape be the focal point."

The ceilings are highest in the kitchen, which creates a very "active" space, says Nwankpa Gillespie, for everyone to gather around the 4-by-10-foot island. Skylights and custom angled windows usher in natural light without allowing the neighbors to see in, and draw the eye up to the angled ceiling. "I think those windows created a punctuation and rhythm to the space," says Nwankpa Gillespie.

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Woodworker Leon Lebeniste crafted the dining table in white oak to match the Maruni dining chairs.