outside

Introducing a new gable over the entry and lifting the roof line created a new view corridor towards Pike's Peak, and helped draw more daylight inside.

"As you wander down into the western meadow with the mountaintop looming over, you'll find a large fire pit & the summer kitchen inspired by Francis Mallman's Patagonian home and Argentinian style outdoor cooking. The structure has a designated well & hot water, a refrigerator & propane stove. It is wired for internet and stands on a bluestone patio with an outdoor shower on the far exterior wall."

The Smiths’ new cabin, designed by Risa Boyer Architecture and completed in 2020, sits in the same spot as their previous home, on five acres on Mount Veeder, in Northern California. Somehow, the red chicken coop, which is constructed of wood, survived the fire with the chickens still alive inside.

Showing the skybridge connection between home and barn

This uber-green dwelling not only walks the walk, it talks the talk.

In this garden by Flora Grubb, contemporary containers and minimal furniture help to create an eclectic, modern environment.

The outdoor areas were designed with two perspectives in mind. “Typically people focus on making the house look beautiful from the outside,” says Briana. “Because of all the windows, I wanted to also consider how we experience the outside from the inside.

Window walls grace the north and south sides of the building, illuminating the open-plan living and dining area. A fireplace caps off one end of the long room.

Modern Perennial Plants

Garden

FormLA Landscaping principal Cassy Aoyagi integrates drought-resistant plants into her Southern California projects.

Their daughters, Annapurna, left, and Siddartha, play with their dog, Anouck, beneath the kangaroo paws in the entry garden courtyard.

The outdoor living room can accommodate anything from movie night to a morning work session.

The landscaping was intended to be as low-maintenance as possible for professionally touring musicians. (Though during the pandemic, obviously, there is plenty of time for yard work.) The little covered veranda could act as a mini stage for backyard acoustic shows in the future.

The living room opens to the private, walled exterior courtyard at the front. “I really love the design of the courtyard and the fact that you can see it from everywhere in the house,” notes Fox. The ottoman is from Jardan and the outdoor chair is Hay.