The Owl Rock Residence in Topanga, California is a complementary addition to its natural surroundings. The home, which is a unique design by Hughes Umbanhowar Architects, projects out from the hillside, both receiving and enhancing the scenery. Views from the primary bedroom are especially stunning, which you can see depicted in the photo gallery below.

Appreciating the Exterior

The exterior of the residence features a mountainous landscape, and the house seems perfectly carved into the surroundings. Although floor to ceiling windows and doors give it a modern appearance, the quarried stone walls of the home’s exterior helps it blend naturally into the scenery. To add to the natural appeal of the residence, designers added a colorful touch with native plantings.

Whereas the rock walls seemingly fade into the mountainous terrain, the glass glistens in the sunlight, so the 3,900-square-foot home does not go unnoticed. When the sun goes down, the interior lights create an exterior glow. Sections of the home protrude from the landscape, which mimics the jutting edges of the surrounding mountains.

Exploring the Interior

The interior of the home is no less impressive when compared to the exterior. The house features a rather large primary bedroom with breathtaking views. Residents of the home can view the mountain range through the floor to ceiling windows that line one wall of the room.

Another reason the primary bedroom seems so stunning is that it seems to defy gravity as it hangs over the edge of a creek valley. For added impact, a descending bedroom window transforms into a guardrail to bring the inhabitants even closer to their view of nature.

Some of the interior features of the home include:

Polished concrete floors (30% fly ash) and wood floors
Interior quarried stone walls (matching the exterior)
Flamed cedar
A large, open kitchen that blends into the dining area
A large living room/social space separated from the kitchen and dining areas by a stone large stone-faced fireplace

The 4-bedroom residence boasts plenty of space for everyone. A lounge area permits children to enjoy some personal space while the living room entertains the whole family. When stepping into the downstairs area of the home, you will find a wall lined with floor to ceiling wooden shelves, serving as the perfect storage space for books, knick-knacks, trophies, and other miscellaneous items.

Although the interior serves as a shelter from the outdoor elements, the large windows invite the outdoors in with plenty of natural lighting. Thankfully, the Fleetwood windows provide enough insulation to reduce heating and cooling costs. Perhaps the most important part is that the homeowners can enjoy gorgeous views from almost every room.

Overall, the home is a stunning primarypiece. It looks like a home etched out of the hillside thanks to its natural appearance. The layout of the home creates private spaces for each member of the family while providing plenty of social spaces for family gatherings and guest entertainment. Most importantly, the house is a fantastic addition to the landscape without distracting from the area’s natural beauty.

Design by Hughes Umbanhowar Architects