Exterior

The exterior is wrapped in weathering steel that echoes the color of the soil and allows the cabin to blend into its surroundings.

The clients desired a modern, streamlined retreat to escape the city.

Originally dating to the 1970s, Hotel Carlota was revamped by JSa Arquitectura and completed in 2015. As part of the renovation, a pool became the focal point of the courtyard, and its modernized, streamlined design makes a dramatic statement.

At Casa Cantellano, courtyards double as hallway access, with seamless indoor-outdoor access.

Michelle Boudreau Design led a redesign on this 1954 Palm Springs home, which has two bedrooms and two baths in 1500 square feet. Green accents on the exterior reflect the updated color palette inside. The wall sconce is from DL Design Works, and can be found on Etsy.

The entire property is less than 450 square feet, but feels much larger thanks to careful planning.

Reilly, pictured here, deleted the original front door in order to create an expanse of uninterrupted wall in the living room. The existing slider is now the main entry point. She clad the exterior with planks marketed as a shou sugi ban product that reads as burned, knotty cedar. A new, corrugated metal roof replaced asphalt shingles.

Reilly created her own version of a Japanese garden in the front of the house with a rock she chose from a local landscaping company. “It really does clear your mind when you focus on raking the sand.”

Sited for maximum privacy and views within the Parc Andreas neighborhood of South Palm Springs, the newly built residence sits on a corner lot with only one adjacent neighbor.

The modular homes are designed to be primarily produced in a factory in Grand Prairie, Texas, which is also designed by Lake Flato.

Oaxaca Interests is a Texas-based real estate operator, developer, and investment firm. The company partnered with award-winning architecture practice Lake|Flato to found HiFAB.

“The simple exterior material palette, including hard-troweled smooth stucco and corrugated material, gives a subtle nod to West Texas design,” says Grace Boudewyns, Project Architect at Lake|Flato.

The Haciendas are designed to stand alone, but when placed next to each other they create small private courtyards that enhance the indoor-outdoor living experience.

Multiple glazed French doors open out to the courtyard to create a connection between interior and exterior spaces.

The front patio offers another outdoor space for residents and can be used to develop a sense of community amongst neighbourhoods of Haciendas.

Residents or developers will generally only need to apply for approval to install the foundation and connect the utilities. The on-site construction then takes place in seven days or less.

HiFAB hopes to grow their business and, eventually, pass savings onto potential homeowners to make the homes affordable for more people.

The renovation took 2.5 years, in part due to common Covid-related delays, and was officially completed in June 2023.

The previous owners used the residence as a vacation home. The husband was an avid painter and photographer who used the garage as a dark room, which meant there was already plumbing installed when Brian decided to convert the space into a casita.