Monument House

Designer: Jenna Smith
Scope of Work: Architectural Design and Interior Design
Builder: J Howell Custom Home Builder
Photographer: Erin Lutz / Morgan Woodward

What was your inspiration for this project?
We had the privilege of working with some pretty amazing clients that put their full trust in us to completely design their home. The only inspiration for their new build was a previous project we had designed right next door called the “Belle Canyon House”. Since we never want to design the same house twice, Jenna decided to add a mid century twist to this desert modern home.

What was your greatest challenge?
The staircase in this house offers some pretty amazing sunlight that our clients really wanted to capture in the living room. They requested we open up a load bearing wall in the living room from the staircase. Since we could not fully take out the wall, we had to work around a beam that was holding up the second floor. So how can we make a small opening look cool and also meet code? We definitely didn't want to just slap up some railing and call it good so we had to get creative! Low and behold the wood feature was born!

What were you most proud of / excited about?
The staircase wall feature! The process of new builds seems so surreal. As creatives, we imagine what spaces will look like and stress about how they will actually turn out but wow we are so happy with this finished design!