modern ranch houses

After being buried under layers of haphazard renovations, a 1959 Seattle ranch finally reaches its maximum potential.

The bi-level car barn, a spare, timber-clad structure with an A-frame roof, nods to traditional farmhouses, but is “sleek and contemporary in spirit,” says Geremia. Inspired by an old photo of a porcelain farmhouse sink, it features polished concrete floors.

In the dining room of the main house, guests perch on black leather and bleached white oak Stahl and Band chairs around Jeff Martin Joinery’s Schoolhouse table fashioned from ebonized oak and bleached and whitewashed ash. Tom Kirk Flute pendants hang overhead.

The pool house patio, featuring Harbour Outdoor sun loungers.

Teak furniture, sourced from Teak Warehouse, adds a fitting lightness to the patio.

Concrete masses break up the grand interior spaces, while providing some solidity to the light framework of the home.

The home’s layered facade allows the indoor living spaces to be open or closed to the outdoors.

Wood screens blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces.

Large sliding glass doors open onto a backyard retreat complete with a fire pit and swimming pool.

The adjoining garage also doubles as a recreational room, with a vintage roadster and nearby pool table lending some fun.

“We did not want a lot of bold colors in the art to distract,” says Hill. The artwork was purposefully chosen to blend in with the furniture, rather than stand out.

The three attached structures house an office, guest suite, and game room, used by the family to watch football games.

The 5,200-square-foot retreat is designed to look like a cluster of old barns upon first glance.

The Portola Valley Barn blends into its rustic setting.

Visual transparency between indoor and outdoor spaces transcends throughout the property. From the pool, private balconies on the second level are revealed as the aluminum maneuvers fold away.

At night, the exterior sculptures take on a dramatic appearance. The home appears as a sculpture in itself, filled with colorful pieces to admire.

At a home about half an hour from Lake Tahoe, architect Jack Hawkins and interior designer Cheryl Chenault built a house that would support their clients’ unique requirements in a home that would be 8,000 to 10,000 square feet. In the kitchen, two islands, one in the shape of an L and the other a smaller rectangular island, are layered table over one portion create generous space to spread out. Norman Cherner barstools from Design Within Reach line the island in the kitchen, which is crowned by an open loft office. The faucets are from Dornbracht; the countertops are Caesarstone. Hawkins integrated a steel-clad casual eating nook, at left.

Now the living area flows gracefully into the dining room and connects the view to the backyard. The new eight-foot by 11-foot window on the back wall ensures lots of natural light and "a true indoor-outdoor feel," says Naber. "We have beautiful sunsets and love being able to look out the windows into our backyard."

In the new dining room, the wall is lined with built-in maple cabinetry and topped with a white quartz counter. Naber defined the bar area with floating shelves and a backsplash composed of Glazed Brick tile from Clé Tile. Knowing that the large expanse of the back wall would draw the eye, Naber wanted a unique installation for it: the Roke mural wallpaper from Anewall. "This was one of the main ideas I had going into this addition," Naber says. "I love how it looks like the ocean and really ties the indoor in with the outdoor."