Top 5 Homes of the Week That Celebrate the Golden State

California living’s never looked so good. Take a peek at the homes from the Dwell community that caught our editor’s eye this week.

The design team at Feldman Architecture was inspired by the prominent views and beautiful slopes surrounding the Meadow House.

Featured homes were submitted by members of the Dwell community through our Add a Home feature. Add your home to Dwell.com/homes today.

1. The Meadow Home

The design team at Feldman Architecture was inspired by the prominent views and beautiful slopes surrounding the Meadow House.

The design team at Feldman Architecture was inspired by the prominent views and beautiful slopes surrounding the Meadow House.

Photo by Paul Dyer

Architect: Feldman Architecture, Location: Portola Valley, California

From the architect: “The home is at once open to the surrounding landscape and views of the encompassing prairie, seamlessly merging interior and exterior spaces. Splayed concrete walls, diminishing in height as they approach the house, direct the gaze to Windy Hill sitting on the western horizon. The house’s cedar siding, stained a warm gray and complimented by the crisp horizontal lines of the black roof, further embeds the house in its natural surroundings and strikes a beautiful balance between rural and distinctly modern aesthetics.”

2. Mesa Contemporary

Mesa Contemporary is highlighted by several interesting details, including large second-story cantilevers, exterior elevations built entirely of glass, and a view of Santa Barbara from every room. A clearstory window system gives the appearance of a roof that floats on top of the elegant structure below.

Mesa Contemporary is highlighted by several interesting details, including large second-story cantilevers, exterior elevations built entirely of glass, and a view of Santa Barbara from every room. A clearstory window system gives the appearance of a roof that floats on top of the elegant structure below.

Photo by Jim Bartsch

Architect: David Van Hoy, Location: Santa Barbara, California

From the builder: “After a lifetime of photographing art in architecture, this discerning homeowner decided to design a piece of art that he could one day live in. After months in conceptual design and creative engineering, plans were finalized to recognize this client’s dream. Natural light and a simple yet diverse and elegant finish palate were at the heart of this home’s inspiration. Wonder, imagination and optical illusion are seen from afar, while precision, execution, and zero margin for error is recognized when looking at this home at a closer glance.”

3. Mandeville Canyon House

The large pocket doors of Mandeville Canyon House open up the corner of the living room to the concrete terrace and lawn beyond. This house, designed by Dutton Architects, is perfect for informal living and taking advantage of the southern California climate.

The large pocket doors of Mandeville Canyon House open up the corner of the living room to the concrete terrace and lawn beyond. This house, designed by Dutton Architects, is perfect for informal living and taking advantage of the southern California climate.

Photo: Dutton Architects

See the full story on Dwell.com: Top 5 Homes of the Week That Celebrate the Golden State
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    Greetings! We would like to submit our sweet little cabin to be featured in Dwell. My beloved and I just finished remodeling the home this past summer. I work as an interior designer & Jamie is a painter/contemporary artist – but we do lots of other things too. The intention behind this space in the woods is to offer a safe space for healing work, while it is our main home – we also hold retreats, song circles, sound healing, kirtan, yoga gatherings and tea ceremonies. It’s hard to explain the powerful feeling this land holds if you have not visited, but it’s palpable upon arrival. Your nervous system begins to regulate and all the worries of this human experience wash away. The cabin is nestled in the Santa Cruz mountains surrounded by lush forest and old growth redwoods. Only 15 minutes down the road, you are at some of the most beautiful clean beaches on the coast. The house was already very charming & has great bones, it just needed some TLC. I have lots of ‘before’ photos if you are interested. I love Japanese style bathing rituals, so we created an outdoor spa with huge sun deck, cedar hot tub, cedar sauna, and cold plunge. We also have a large yurt which is where we hold most of the gatherings & ceremonies. There is also a cute guest house not pictured in the attached photos. I hope you can see the magic through these images.
    With Gratitude,
    Eva & Jamie