Wild Lilac House by Walker Workshop is a 4,000-square-foot mountain retreat located in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest. Designed as a serene refuge, the home features a main residence and a pool house that follow the site’s natural topography. Thickened concrete and plaster walls run east to west, defining private zones while shielding interiors from the sun. Expansive glass doors open to panoramic valley views, connecting indoor and outdoor living around a central fireplace and pool area. With its restrained material palette of grey plaster, concrete, and natural finishes, the house blends seamlessly into the surrounding desert landscape.
Architects: Walker Workshop Area: 4000 ft² Year: 2016 Photographs: Joe Fletcher Lead Architect: Noah Walker Other Participants: Sammy Castro Design City: San Bernardino Country: United States
We Always Thought the Future Would Be Kind of Fun by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Tucked into the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest,
the Wild Lilac House by Walker Workshop is designed as a quiet refuge from city life,
a retreat that celebrates the rugged beauty of Southern California.
Surrounded by desert chaparral and mountain views, this 4,000-square-foot property blends
architecture and landscape into one continuous experience.
The home is composed of the main residence and a smaller pool house,
carefully positioned to follow the natural slope of the site.
Instead of fighting the terrain, the design embraces it.
A series of thickened east-west walls anchor the structure into the mountain,
creating distinct living zones while shielding the interiors from the intense California sun.
The heart of the house is an indoor-outdoor fireplace that ties the spaces together,
a perfect gathering spot that blurs the boundaries between interior comfort
and the raw landscape beyond.
Around it, textures of concrete, plaster, and warm natural materials create a calm,
tactile atmosphere that feels both modern and timeless.
Inside the main residence, the layout feels both grounded and open.
A three-car garage leads into spacious common areas where the living room,
dining area, and kitchen flow seamlessly together.
Large sliding glass doors open to the pool on one side and to sweeping sunset views of
the valley on the other, allowing light and air to move freely through the home.
A few steps above, the pool house sits gently against the hillside,
overlooking the main residence.
From here, the outdoor living area unfolds around a serene lap pool,
a Baja shelf for lounging, and a spa that mirrors the tranquil rhythm of the mountains.
For moments of solitude, a second private spa off the master suite
frames the perfect view of the setting sun.
The material palette reinforces the home's dialogue with its surroundings.
Gray plaster and cast-in-place concrete blend softly with the dusty tones of the desert
and the shifting colors of the California sky.
Minimal landscaping lets native vegetation take center stage,
making the home feel like a natural extension of the terrain rather than an intrusion.
Wild Lilac House is more than a mountain getaway.
It's a study in restraint, balance, and connection to nature.
Every wall, every window, and every outdoor space is crafted to remind its inhabitants
that luxury doesn't come from excess, but from harmony with the land.
It's California modernism at its most authentic, peaceful, elemental, and effortlessly beautiful.
