In the spirit of variety, Su Casa has assembled a diverse trio of divergent visions about how to occupy one’s outdoor space. In each case, “yard” doesn’t seem the appropriate term for the immediate environs of these three homeowners. The Briggs residence (“Under the canopy”) takes maximum advantage of two trump cards: a lush, irrigated valley location, where green grows naturally, and truly classic New Mexican adobe architecture. With its easy graciousness and rambling, continually surprising garden and patios, this place was built for entertaining.

So was the “No reservations” outdoor living area, where a full outdoor kitchen, several seating areas, a pool, and a hot tub create the atmosphere of a mini resort oasis. Compared to the barely contained vegetal paradise of the Briggs home, these interconnected patios, portal, and shade ramada suggest an engineered and constructed outdoor experience—no worries, and no mowing!

Somewhere in between, the residence outside Santa Fe, “Open to suggestion,” cooperates with the native landscape, rather than taming or paving it. Casual paths lead to equally casual yet intentional vignettes of sculpture, a bench, shade. The house throws itself open through multiple doors to a deep and wide porch at the front and to an intimate bedroom patio on the side.

The message is simple: eat out, hang out, sleep out. Just get out!

 

 

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