The phrase “a warm and inviting house” tends to conjure images of flowered wallpaper, chintz ruffles, and whatnots filled with Steiff bears. What should we make of a wonderfully warm and inviting home where corrugated metal complements shelves holding antimatter research devices? Industrial materials and clean-lined minimalism distinguish the interior of Michael and Karin Holzscheiters’ home north of Santa Fe. Bruce Davis, the Albuquerque architect who designed the house, describes its aesthetic as “very mature, sort of classic, Zen.”

So what creates the warmth and intimacy? Part of the answer is the color palette—warm sand and cream stuccoes, brick and blonde wood floors, accents of saffron and crimson paint. In the living room, two pots of tiny yellow orchids echo brilliant yellow upholstery.

A sense of humor lightens the eclectic mix of furnishings and art—pre-Columbian reproductions, simple chests in Colonial style, and cabinetry from Ikea and the Room & Board store in Denver. The scale of the house is comfortably human, with the living and dining rooms about 18 by 16 feet. Karin Holzscheiter says, “We use all the rooms. There’s not one that stays empty. That’s a good sign for houses.”

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