Credits
From Nikole Wilson
Notoriously vast, colorful skies, blazing sunsets, weathered mountains, and desert flora make up the totally unique landscape of Joshua Tree. Imagine waking up every day to these vistas, to the quietude, and retiring each night to the shadowy outlines of cacti against the setting sun. This panorama has a lot to offer the observant eye. One intrepid California couple, in love with this secluded land, built their home here and made the scenery part of their everyday life.
Painstakingly designed and built by the homeowners as a tranquil abode, this 2.5-acre property humbles itself to the unique and stunning views that only this part of the world can offer. Aptly, the couple dubbed it Serenity Escape. With this theme in mind, they designed the exterior of the home to be as functional and accommodating as the inside. There are multiple seating and lounging areas, as well as a hot tub and a fireplace for taking in the starry skies on chilly desert nights. While fenced in for a modicum of privacy, the views remain unobstructed no matter where one opts to relax. A corrugated steel fence, carefully constructed for strength and silence during windy days, hugs close enough to the house to maintain a feeling of intimacy without constriction, and preserves the open space beyond it. The rest of the acreage is perfectly wanderable, either with the eyes or the feet.
A broad, level yard surrounds the home and ties into the landscape, creating a suitable environ for entertaining, practicing yoga, telecommuting under the sun, or taking an afternoon nap. Xeric plantings require little maintenance and echo the native flora for which Joshua Tree is famed. Evening gatherings flourish in this otherwise silent place, where starry skies and mingling benefit one another.
Their dedication to appreciating their surroundings isn’t limited to the outdoors. Sliding glass doors open wide to marry the interior and exterior as one flow-through; it’s enticing to stand on the threshold. Inside, a suggestion of the days of all things analog sets the tone. Midcentury modern décor, complete with a turntable and records, prompts attention away from the distraction of cell phones and back into the present. It’s a house that incites the desire to interact, to look around. White cabinets with open shelves accentuate the modern, while furniture and lighting straight out of Mad Men nod to the 1960s. It’s vintage and new, clean but not stark, impressive but unpretentious.
The modest 1,400 square feet feel deceptively voluminous due to high ceilings and undivided living spaces. Without dividing walls, conversations can comfortably convey from the kitchen to the living room. Two master suites with private bathrooms allow for flexible habitation, giving guests complete privacy. Everything feels airy. Sunshine is incorporated into every room, vistas from every window; even the showers have windows, framing hypnotic views. After dark, LED lights brighten the interior spaces, making the home just as attractive from the outside as the landscape is from the inside.
Some life changes led the homeowners to move back to city life, but they love it and have kept their Joshua Tree home as a retreat. Occasionally they offer it as a rental for vacationers or small weddings, or as a location for photography shoots.
The Serenity Escape A labor of love, they continue to enjoy their creation and the land on which it stands. You can stay at their home on Airbnb -www.airbnb.com/roo...
For rental info, please contact theserenityescape@gmail.com.
For more info please check : www.airbnb.com/roo...