Hillside Haven with a View

Fairfax, California

Set on a dramatic hillside in West Marin with sweeping views of Mt. Tam, this residential landscape project was envisioned as both a family gathering place and a retirement retreat. The design integrates the Client's passion for outdoor living while embracing topographical opportunities to create unique outdoor experiences on property.

The renovated 1920's cottage now enjoys seamless indoor-outdoor connections including folding doors to a spacious view deck with fire lounge, outdoor dining and spa at the rear of the house. Circulation has been significantly improved with a new gabled front entry, stone porch and garden steps leading guests from the street frontage to the front door. Graveled paths thread through ornamental planting to arrive at the custom swimming pool, poolside ADU and the heart of entertainment on site. Lower on the property, steps lead to a stone pizza oven and picnic table for rustic al fresco dining, a bocce court and eventually over a quaint wooden bridge to a yurt set in the forest for unique overnight experiences.