Collection by Ana Maria Henao

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Aaron and Yuka Ruell transformed a Portland ranch house into a retro-inspired family home with plenty of spaces—like the trellised porch—for their four children to roam.
Aaron and Yuka Ruell transformed a Portland ranch house into a retro-inspired family home with plenty of spaces—like the trellised porch—for their four children to roam.
"When you pull up to the garage doors, you intuitively know where the front door is, but there's nothing that says entrance," he says. "Instead we did it through the landscaping and architecture."
"When you pull up to the garage doors, you intuitively know where the front door is, but there's nothing that says entrance," he says. "Instead we did it through the landscaping and architecture."
The Coronado district near downtown Phoenix has an eclectic mix of home styles, ranging from 1930s Craftsman bungalows to modest brick colonials to small midcentury ranches. Lately, a growing number of glass-and-stucco minimalist newcomers are joining the mix—including several designed by Joel Contreras, a local real estate agent turned architectural designer whose family has lived in the area for five generations.
The Coronado district near downtown Phoenix has an eclectic mix of home styles, ranging from 1930s Craftsman bungalows to modest brick colonials to small midcentury ranches. Lately, a growing number of glass-and-stucco minimalist newcomers are joining the mix—including several designed by Joel Contreras, a local real estate agent turned architectural designer whose family has lived in the area for five generations.
Architects Melissa and Jacob Brillhart wanted a home that took advantage of a lush lot and minimized any impact on the landscape. Drawing on principles of tropical modernism and the dogtrot model, the couple designed and built a simple, practical structure that is rich in cultural meaning. "There is something to be said for living in a glass house totally surrounded by nature," says Melissa. "I can't put my finger on it, but it has an impact on how I feel. It just isn’t the same experience as living in a house with traditional punched openings."
Architects Melissa and Jacob Brillhart wanted a home that took advantage of a lush lot and minimized any impact on the landscape. Drawing on principles of tropical modernism and the dogtrot model, the couple designed and built a simple, practical structure that is rich in cultural meaning. "There is something to be said for living in a glass house totally surrounded by nature," says Melissa. "I can't put my finger on it, but it has an impact on how I feel. It just isn’t the same experience as living in a house with traditional punched openings."