Skyline

Perched on a windswept ridge overlooking the Santa Cruz Mountains and the distant Pacific, the house provides respite for a busy single executive. Climbing entry steps, granite clad and interwoven with the landscaping, a towering walnut door and more angled interior steps reward the visitor with breathtaking views. The floor to ceiling glazing in the living room brings in the outdoors while the walnut floor grounds the room to the earth. Walnut paneling, shelving and dividing partitions allow the master bedroom to be at once open to the rest to the house, yet private and serene. Crisp exterior forms of horizontal fiber cement and pigmented plaster create striking silhouettes against the cerulean California sky, and provide a thick skin against potential wildfires. The brushed aluminum shade provides essential solar protection, and accentuates the striking views, inside and out. Photo by Cia Gould