Favorites

Located atop a mountain between two valleys, DH House frames views of Nanchang and the ocean on one side and views of the mountains on the other.

Built on a tight budget of $120,000, a retirement home in the mountains delivers unexpected contemporary design to a rural township.

View of the rear of the house from the backyard. The envelope is composed of a grey washed white cedar and painted corrugated steel cladding. The form and material composition place greater emphasis on the public spaces with the living room on the ground floor (bottom left) and the study on the second floor (top right), while balancing three distinct points of entry. The execution of the ground mudroom (bottom left) provides a discrete practical service entrance, while defining a secondary rear entrance to a basement au pair suite below and prioritizes the connection between interior and exterior living spaces.

View from the kitchen looking towards rear yard and mudroom. Hidden doors conceal access to the powder room and the mudroom and its access to the rear deck, yard and parking, placing greater priority on the relationship between interior and exterior living spaces. Chair: Bonaldo Blazer Lounge Chair Lamp: Cattelan Italia Lampo

View from the street looking towards the front entrance

Detail view of the perfectly imperfect wood detail, inspired by the ribs of the Saguaro cactus

A simple gravel driveway hides the garage in the rear of the house

View of the front elevation with neighbors walking by

The desert changes at night when the sun sets, with the temperature dropping quickly and the stars and planets starting to fill the sky

Water and fire at dusk in the courtyard

The gabled volume of the house blocks the harsh, setting sun from the courtyard, creating the ideal space for enjoying the pool after work in the summer

The last glimpse of sunlight in the pool courtyard

The master bathroom features cement tile with a wall hung, walnut vanity with a white quartz counter top. Rounded edge, square mirrors and matte black pendant lights finish off the look

Walnut cabinets, a black metal clad hood and a combination of stainless steel and marble counter tops make up the material palette of the kitchen

A small dining space sits off to the side of the kitchen

A perforated, corrugated metal patio cover provides a transition between the bright desert sun, and the shaded interior of the house

The bedroom wing side of the house on the original foundation was kept low enough to keep views of the mountains to the north, but tall enough to screen the neighbors house across the street

The L-shaped house plan with a detached garage create a 3 sided courtyard, providing privacy and shade in the urban, desert lot. A small pool is the focus of the backyard living

The recessed entry features a disguised door for guests