With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

Located on a sprawling 50-acre equestrian estate in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, a historic barn ruin was meticulously transformed into a luxurious, one-of-a-kind residence. This exquisite home beautifully marries the rustic charm of traditional post-and-beam construction with the elegance of modern luxury. Central to the design is a deep respect for the site’s heritage. The home incorporates reclaimed wood and stone salvaged from the property alongside new materials, carefully integrated into the architecture to preserve the narrative of a Pennsylvania bank barn. The thoughtful use of materials ensures the legacy of the barn is honored while elevating it to meet the standards of modern living. Serving as a testament to timeless craftsmanship, the converted barn residence features post-and-beam construction. The home’s design offers a harmonious blend of intimate living spaces and expansive entertaining areas. Four comfortable bedrooms provide ample accommodation, while the open concept main level seamlessly connects to a lower level entertainment space. The lower level opens to the courtyard and pool deck, creating a resort-like retreat within the estate’s pastoral landscape. Indoor-outdoor flow makes it an ideal setting for gatherings and large-scale entertaining, all set against the backdrop of rural Bucks County’s serene surroundings.

Aspect 221 is a multi-experiential home designed for a multi-generational family. Set on a sloping corner property in a 1960's Golden Valley neighborhood, this home offers a variety of ways to connect to the immediate landscapes and distant views. The house itself is divided vertically with interaction between families occurring through the centrally located sculptural stair. Horizontal movement in each direction leads to distinct environments provided for the families; multiple habitats offering variety of space, light, and privacy. Expanding towards the west, the property takes advantage of the sweeping views and provides a perfect opportunity for a walk-out lower level and tuck under garage. The young family occupies the middle and upper floors, while the parents occupy the lower level. Each family has their own private entry and dedicated outdoor space. The home has 4 distinct outdoor spaces; a north shade deck and south sun deck, as well as an upper east lawn and lower west lawn. These spaces provide multiple habitats for the families to come together or move apart, offering variety and privacy. We designed Aspect 221 with a nod to the various “aspects” offered by the site and its natural context. The base of the house is a black monolithic plinth anchored into the hillside, containing the garage and older parent’s home. This allows the upper two floors, enclosed in a fractured white and wood box, to remain humanly scaled and to move and gesture freely by twisting the middle floor off axis, and then twisting the upper floor off axis again. Each level offers views in varied directions revealing the site in different ways as you rise in elevation. Location: Golden Valley, MN Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

This elegantly appointed custom home is sited on a corner lot and enjoys a southern exposure and quiet village location. Diagonally set antique Chicago brick adds character to the patio and walkways, and mature lush landscaping including two producing citrus trees create a tropical oasis. The deep covered loggia with built-in barbecue and fireplace offers a shady retreat for outdoor entertaining or relaxing by the pool. At the far end of the pool, a charming arched staircase leads to the carriage house. Photograph Aric Attas. Copyright Windsor.

Photo: Alexandra Crafton © 2017 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic living room remodel in Seattle

Photo by JC Buck
Mid-sized 1950s gray split-level wood house exterior photo in Denver

27 Saddle Hill Road, Weston, MA 02493 http://27saddlehillrd.com BEAUTIFULLY SITED COLONIAL WITH EXQUISITE ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS. $2,195,000 Located in the Webster Hill neighborhood, this character-filled home offers distinction and grace. The expansive family room features a dramatic cathedral ceiling, built-in bookcases and a grand brick fireplace. The open floor plan presents a spacious kitchen, a dining room with built-in china cabinets, and a generously sized living room perfect for entertaining.

A conceptual framework of long, straight lines anchors the landscape design for this proposed contemporary house set in a rural wetland environment. Against this datum, the site’s subtleties reveal themselves for interpretation and appreciation. The iconic element of a strong axial grass ‘runway’ serves both as a horizontal extrusion against which to read the natural topography and also as a platform for viewing the site’s wetlands. A monolithic retaining wall stratifies the entry area into a lower, private parking court and an upper, public one, which is further defined by a series of rough-hewn stone planters containing formal plantings of dogwoods. These planters break the plane of the retaining wall and extend to the ground, alluding to the substantial bedrock deposits that underlie much of the site. Stepped down from this plane is the fire pit terrace, nestled into the rocky structure of the site and offering views towards a vernal pond. Scott Carman

We designed the garden for the residents of this multi-flat Rockridge building to enable them to comfortably share the site together. The stylish and sophisticated patio transforms the space and takes advantage of the Heritage Oak natural ceiling. The Bluestone patio, in a random ashlar pattern, offers two distinct spaces for people to gather. A native Vine Maple, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, and Oregon Grape will grow to offer textural interest and vibrant color changes throughout the year. A Basalt stone birdbath attracts many birds to the garden. (Installed by Andrew Packer, Acorn Landscaping acorn-landscaping.com)

We designed the garden for the residents of this multi-flat Rockridge building to enable them to comfortably share the site together. The stylish and sophisticated patio transforms the space and takes advantage of the Heritage Oak natural ceiling. The Bluestone patio, in a random ashlar pattern, offers two distinct spaces for people to gather. A native Vine Maple, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, and Oregon Grape will grow to offer textural interest and vibrant color changes throughout the year. A Basalt stone birdbath attracts many birds to the garden. (Installed by Andrew Packer, Acorn Landscaping acorn-landscaping.com)

Eye-Land: Named for the expansive white oak savanna views, this beautiful 5,200-square foot family home offers seamless indoor/outdoor living with five bedrooms and three baths, and space for two more bedrooms and a bathroom. The site posed unique design challenges. The home was ultimately nestled into the hillside, instead of placed on top of the hill, so that it didn’t dominate the dramatic landscape. The openness of the savanna exposes all sides of the house to the public, which required creative use of form and materials. The home’s one-and-a-half story form pays tribute to the site’s farming history. The simplicity of the gable roof puts a modern edge on a traditional form, and the exterior color palette is limited to black tones to strike a stunning contrast to the golden savanna. The main public spaces have oversized south-facing windows and easy access to an outdoor terrace with views overlooking a protected wetland. The connection to the land is further strengthened by strategically placed windows that allow for views from the kitchen to the driveway and auto court to see visitors approach and children play. There is a formal living room adjacent to the front entry for entertaining and a separate family room that opens to the kitchen for immediate family to gather before and after mealtime.

We designed the garden for the residents of this multi-flat Rockridge building to enable them to comfortably share the site together. The stylish and sophisticated patio transforms the space and takes advantage of the Heritage Oak natural ceiling. The Bluestone patio, in a random ashlar pattern, offers two distinct spaces for people to gather. A native Vine Maple, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, and Oregon Grape will grow to offer textural interest and vibrant color changes throughout the year. A Basalt stone birdbath attracts many birds to the garden. (Installed by Andrew Packer, Acorn Landscaping acorn-landscaping.com)

Aspect 221 is a multi-experiential home designed for a multi-generational family. Set on a sloping corner property in a 1960's Golden Valley neighborhood, this home offers a variety of ways to connect to the immediate landscapes and distant views. The house itself is divided vertically with interaction between families occurring through the centrally located sculptural stair. Horizontal movement in each direction leads to distinct environments provided for the families; multiple habitats offering variety of space, light, and privacy. Expanding towards the west, the property takes advantage of the sweeping views and provides a perfect opportunity for a walk-out lower level and tuck under garage. The young family occupies the middle and upper floors, while the parents occupy the lower level. Each family has their own private entry and dedicated outdoor space. The home has 4 distinct outdoor spaces; a north shade deck and south sun deck, as well as an upper east lawn and lower west lawn. These spaces provide multiple habitats for the families to come together or move apart, offering variety and privacy. We designed Aspect 221 with a nod to the various “aspects” offered by the site and its natural context. The base of the house is a black monolithic plinth anchored into the hillside, containing the garage and older parent’s home. This allows the upper two floors, enclosed in a fractured white and wood box, to remain humanly scaled and to move and gesture freely by twisting the middle floor off axis, and then twisting the upper floor off axis again. Each level offers views in varied directions revealing the site in different ways as you rise in elevation. Location: Golden Valley, MN Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

Aspect 221 is a multi-experiential home designed for a multi-generational family. Set on a sloping corner property in a 1960's Golden Valley neighborhood, this home offers a variety of ways to connect to the immediate landscapes and distant views. The house itself is divided vertically with interaction between families occurring through the centrally located sculptural stair. Horizontal movement in each direction leads to distinct environments provided for the families; multiple habitats offering variety of space, light, and privacy. Expanding towards the west, the property takes advantage of the sweeping views and provides a perfect opportunity for a walk-out lower level and tuck under garage. The young family occupies the middle and upper floors, while the parents occupy the lower level. Each family has their own private entry and dedicated outdoor space. The home has 4 distinct outdoor spaces; a north shade deck and south sun deck, as well as an upper east lawn and lower west lawn. These spaces provide multiple habitats for the families to come together or move apart, offering variety and privacy. We designed Aspect 221 with a nod to the various “aspects” offered by the site and its natural context. The base of the house is a black monolithic plinth anchored into the hillside, containing the garage and older parent’s home. This allows the upper two floors, enclosed in a fractured white and wood box, to remain humanly scaled and to move and gesture freely by twisting the middle floor off axis, and then twisting the upper floor off axis again. Each level offers views in varied directions revealing the site in different ways as you rise in elevation. Location: Golden Valley, MN Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

Aspect 221 is a multi-experiential home designed for a multi-generational family. Set on a sloping corner property in a 1960's Golden Valley neighborhood, this home offers a variety of ways to connect to the immediate landscapes and distant views. The house itself is divided vertically with interaction between families occurring through the centrally located sculptural stair. Horizontal movement in each direction leads to distinct environments provided for the families; multiple habitats offering variety of space, light, and privacy. Expanding towards the west, the property takes advantage of the sweeping views and provides a perfect opportunity for a walk-out lower level and tuck under garage. The young family occupies the middle and upper floors, while the parents occupy the lower level. Each family has their own private entry and dedicated outdoor space. The home has 4 distinct outdoor spaces; a north shade deck and south sun deck, as well as an upper east lawn and lower west lawn. These spaces provide multiple habitats for the families to come together or move apart, offering variety and privacy. We designed Aspect 221 with a nod to the various “aspects” offered by the site and its natural context. The base of the house is a black monolithic plinth anchored into the hillside, containing the garage and older parent’s home. This allows the upper two floors, enclosed in a fractured white and wood box, to remain humanly scaled and to move and gesture freely by twisting the middle floor off axis, and then twisting the upper floor off axis again. Each level offers views in varied directions revealing the site in different ways as you rise in elevation. Location: Golden Valley, MN Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

Aspect 221 is a multi-experiential home designed for a multi-generational family. Set on a sloping corner property in a 1960's Golden Valley neighborhood, this home offers a variety of ways to connect to the immediate landscapes and distant views. The house itself is divided vertically with interaction between families occurring through the centrally located sculptural stair. Horizontal movement in each direction leads to distinct environments provided for the families; multiple habitats offering variety of space, light, and privacy. Expanding towards the west, the property takes advantage of the sweeping views and provides a perfect opportunity for a walk-out lower level and tuck under garage. The young family occupies the middle and upper floors, while the parents occupy the lower level. Each family has their own private entry and dedicated outdoor space. The home has 4 distinct outdoor spaces; a north shade deck and south sun deck, as well as an upper east lawn and lower west lawn. These spaces provide multiple habitats for the families to come together or move apart, offering variety and privacy. We designed Aspect 221 with a nod to the various “aspects” offered by the site and its natural context. The base of the house is a black monolithic plinth anchored into the hillside, containing the garage and older parent’s home. This allows the upper two floors, enclosed in a fractured white and wood box, to remain humanly scaled and to move and gesture freely by twisting the middle floor off axis, and then twisting the upper floor off axis again. Each level offers views in varied directions revealing the site in different ways as you rise in elevation. Location: Golden Valley, MN Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

Aspect 221 is a multi-experiential home designed for a multi-generational family. Set on a sloping corner property in a 1960's Golden Valley neighborhood, this home offers a variety of ways to connect to the immediate landscapes and distant views. The house itself is divided vertically with interaction between families occurring through the centrally located sculptural stair. Horizontal movement in each direction leads to distinct environments provided for the families; multiple habitats offering variety of space, light, and privacy. Expanding towards the west, the property takes advantage of the sweeping views and provides a perfect opportunity for a walk-out lower level and tuck under garage. The young family occupies the middle and upper floors, while the parents occupy the lower level. Each family has their own private entry and dedicated outdoor space. The home has 4 distinct outdoor spaces; a north shade deck and south sun deck, as well as an upper east lawn and lower west lawn. These spaces provide multiple habitats for the families to come together or move apart, offering variety and privacy. We designed Aspect 221 with a nod to the various “aspects” offered by the site and its natural context. The base of the house is a black monolithic plinth anchored into the hillside, containing the garage and older parent’s home. This allows the upper two floors, enclosed in a fractured white and wood box, to remain humanly scaled and to move and gesture freely by twisting the middle floor off axis, and then twisting the upper floor off axis again. Each level offers views in varied directions revealing the site in different ways as you rise in elevation. Location: Golden Valley, MN Project Team: Ben Awes, AIA, Principal-In-Charge Chris Bach Nate Dodge

We designed the garden for the residents of this multi-flat Rockridge building to enable them to comfortably share the site together. The stylish and sophisticated patio transforms the space and takes advantage of the Heritage Oak natural ceiling. The Bluestone patio, in a random ashlar pattern, offers two distinct spaces for people to gather. A native Vine Maple, Oakleaf Hydrangeas, and Oregon Grape will grow to offer textural interest and vibrant color changes throughout the year. A Basalt stone birdbath attracts many birds to the garden. (Installed by Andrew Packer, Acorn Landscaping acorn-landscaping.com)

A conceptual framework of long, straight lines anchors the landscape design for this proposed contemporary house set in a rural wetland environment. Against this datum, the site’s subtleties reveal themselves for interpretation and appreciation. The iconic element of a strong axial grass ‘runway’ serves both as a horizontal extrusion against which to read the natural topography and also as a platform for viewing the site’s wetlands. A monolithic retaining wall stratifies the entry area into a lower, private parking court and an upper, public one, which is further defined by a series of rough-hewn stone planters containing formal plantings of dogwoods. These planters break the plane of the retaining wall and extend to the ground, alluding to the substantial bedrock deposits that underlie much of the site. Stepped down from this plane is the fire pit terrace, nestled into the rocky structure of the site and offering views towards a vernal pond. Scott Carman