Home Inspo

Passive House guidelines, like thick insulation, can often result in very simple forms, she says. Here, a recessed entrance in the shou sugi ban front facade provides privacy without complicating the design.

To revive the original architects’ vision, studioWTA restored a four-foot roof overhang above a wall of La Cantina sliders. The shade helps limit solar gain, while a pool by Evans + Lighter Landscape Architecture provides respite on sweltering summer days.

Montreal bathroom

Russian-based studio Ruetemple conjured a plywood partition that separates working and relaxation areas inside this artist's studio in Moscow, incorporating both furniture and shelves for tidying away art supplies.

The architect incorporated a central courtyard in the house, an unusual but intelligent design response for the region with a temperate climate. “The house sets up an interesting tension between two established [courtyard and farmhouse] typologies,” Crump explains.

The patio is accessed from the master bedroom via a large pivot door. The bed and mirror are from Crate and Barrel; the pendant is from Droog. The couple made the wall sconces themselves.

The kitchen is outfitted with a granite countertop and custom casework; the hardware is by Tom Kundig. Richard and his wife, Kristine, sourced the pendants from Craigslist, then had them plated in copper. The appliances are by Viking, and the bar stools are Real Good chairs by Blu Dot.

Two art studios adjoin a central volume at this work/live residence built from terracreto (sustainable concrete), glass, and painted steel just outside of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Residents Austin and Lida Lowrey, retired design and museum professionals, collaborated with their two daughters—Sheridan, an artist, and Elizabeth, an architect—to design the structure as a place for creative contemplation.

Indoor and outdoor entertaining is made simple by the dining room’s sliding glass doors, but the two spaces also share a literal common ground. Lapicida’s tumbled black limestone with white Carrara marble inserts sprawl from the kitchen, past the dining room, and onto the patio.

“We did a lot of studies for the project to show how we could get huge amounts of light into the rear of the house,” Roberts said, which culminates in the two-story addition that replaced the original collapsing wall. The living room’s two antique round leather chairs, by Ralph Lauren, are within view of the garden beyond matching sets of windows.

Part of a 1,000-square-foot space the brothers designed for their parents, the master bath features a Whittington Marlon bathtub from Signature Hardware.

A Nelson sofa sits on a handmade Persian Mahi rug in the living room.

The sunken tile tub and shower in the ensuite master bathroom enjoys an outdoor connection in the form of a small atrium.

Clerestory windows allow more light to stream into the den.

A common theme of the remodel was the incorporation of salvaged material, both from the original house and outside sources. Collaborating with Peter Buley of Analog Modern, the original hemlock fir joists of the house were repurposed into the main entry door. Adjacent to the door is a bench made from a heart pine beam, sourced by Buley. The beam had been charred during a circa-1900 fire, and subsequently painted over during the last 100 years. The unique piece now finds its home in the entry foyer.

The seating area features custom sofas covered in synthetic ultrasuede, in what Dowling calls “a forgiving color.” The felt ottoman, by Cini Boeri for Knoll, doubles as a table thanks to a lacquered tray from Williams-Sonoma Home. The sisal rug is from West Elm.

The modestly scaled master bedroom opens to a view of the woods located behind the property.

In recognition of the holiday attitude that pervades Palm Springs, the pool area will incorporate a screen wall that provides a surface for projection and reflects on the water for a festive vibe.