We’re thrilled to share that Stillwater Vista Residence is featured in the March/April issue of Luxe Interiors + Design. The home is located on an extraordinary site surrounded by ancient oaks and madrones, with panoramic views of the surrounding hillsides, Carmel Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. “Tucked away in the Santa Lucia Preserve, where mountains meet the Pacific Ocean, the landscape demands your undivided attention,” notes writer Monique McIntosh. Within this context, we worked with our clients to create a 4,700 square-foot main residence, guesthouse, and a pool and pool house tucked into the sloping hillside.

McIntosh explores the inspiration behind the design, from the location of each building on the site to interior elements inspired by the rugged surroundings. As Greg Mottola, FAIA, Principal in our San Francisco studio notes, “We wanted to choreograph movement through the site, so it feels like you’re rediscovering it every time you visit.” Charcoal quartzite stone walls anchor the main residence and guesthouse to the landscape and guide the entry sequence for each. Passing under a delicate steel trellis and along the textured stone wall that extends into the gallery, the interior opens to an expansive living area that looks out over forested hillsides and the coast beyond. The living pavilion extends into the landscape to capture the ocean view, while the primary bedroom is oriented to take in more intimate ridgeline views. The home’s distinctive butterfly-shaped, folded-plane roofline floats lightly above clerestory windows, reinforcing sightlines to the north and west. Cantilevered sections lift both the great room and the couple’s bedroom suite, “so you feel like you’re floating in space, hovering in this special moment,” adds Senior Associate Chris Moore, AIA.

Thank you to our clients and project team, including Groza Construction, Ground Studio Landscape Architecture, Strandberg Engineering, Whitson Engineers, and Monterey Energy Group, as well as photography and drone photography by Matthew Millman and Jonathan Mitchell, respectively. Learn more about Stillwater Vista Residence below.