Joe Fletcher Atop a ridge in the Santa Lucia mountains of Carmel, California, an oak tree stands elevated above the fog and wrapped at its base in this ranch retreat. The weekend home’s design grew around the 100-year-old Valley Oak to form a horseshoe-shaped house that gathers ridgeline views of Oak, Madrone, and Redwood groves at its exterior and nestles around the tree at its center. The home’s orientation offers both the shade of the oak canopy in the courtyard and the sun flowing into the great room at the house’s rear façades. This modern take on a traditional ranch home offers contemporary materials and landscaping to a classic typology. From the main entry in the courtyard, one enters the home’s great room and immediately experiences the dramatic westward views across the 70 foot pool at the house’s rear. In this expansive public area, programmatic needs flow and connect - from the kitchen, whose windows face the courtyard, to the dining room, whose doors slide seamlessly into walls to create an outdoor dining pavilion. The primary circulation axes flank the internal courtyard, anchoring the house to its site and heightening the sense of scale by extending views outward at each of the corridor’s ends. Guest suites, complete with private kitchen and living room, and the garage are housed in auxiliary wings connected to the main house by covered walkways. Building materials including pre-weathered corrugated steel cladding, buff limestone walls, and large aluminum apertures, and the interior palette of cedar-clad ceilings, oil-rubbed steel, and exposed concrete floors soften the modern aesthetics into a refined but rugged ranch home.

Inspiration for a coastal patio remodel in Los Angeles

Fabric canopy covers deck and hot tub area
Example of a large arts and crafts backyard outdoor kitchen deck design in Portland with an awning

Outdoor living space, outdoor fireplace, outdoor kitchen, outdoor seating, ambiance lighting, outdoor lighting bluestone hardscaping, Outdoor living space, outdoor fireplace, outdoor kitchen, outdoor seating, ambiance lighting, outdoor lighting bluestone hardscaping

Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography
Example of a mid-sized 1960s gray one-story mixed siding gable roof design in DC Metro

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in New York.

The perimeter countertops are Pental's 'Cotton' white engineered stone. ~ Brian DalBalcon Photography
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized transitional l-shaped light wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Seattle with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, quartz countertops, blue backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Entry way to kitchen from Dining Room
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional galley porcelain tile enclosed kitchen remodel in Philadelphia with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Mountain style carpeted bedroom photo in Denver with beige walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized farmhouse medium tone wood floor home design remodel in San Diego with white walls and no fireplace

Plan 3X at Canopy at Esencia in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA. New Single Family Homes in Orange County.
Example of a large transitional master alcove shower design in Orange County with shaker cabinets, white cabinets and an undermount sink

Photographer: Geoffrey Hodgdon Builder: Robert Purcell, Beechwood, Inc. Architect: Keith Iott, Iott Architectural Engineering
Bedroom - huge contemporary master dark wood floor and brown floor bedroom idea in DC Metro with beige walls and no fireplace

Plan 2 at Canopy at Esencia in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA. New Single Family Homes in Orange County.
Example of a large transitional master drop-in bathtub design in Orange County with shaker cabinets, white cabinets and an undermount sink

Landon Wiggs
Tuscan formal medium tone wood floor living room photo in Phoenix with a standard fireplace and white walls

Inspiration for a mediterranean patio remodel in Austin with a gazebo

Expansive tree canopy now shades the dining area and cools the areas closest to the home's large banks of windows. The Australian Willow on the top left was chosen for its low leaf litter and ability to thrive in Pasadena's heat.

Example of a large 1960s u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Vancouver with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, quartz countertops, black backsplash, marble backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Plan 3X at Canopy at Esencia in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA. New Single Family Homes in Orange County.
Example of a mid-sized transitional alcove shower design in Orange County with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white walls and an undermount sink

Contemporary one-story exterior home idea in Dallas with a hip roof