The owners of this house wanted a home they could escape to during the holidays, when Los Angeles became too much. The couple called on architect Brian Tichenor and interior designer Madeline Stuart to turn their dreams into reality. The brief was ambitious: to build a house that was comfortable and cosy as well as modern and minimalist. The result is a symphony of earth tones. All the downstairs rooms open onto a large garden full of grasses and trees. A large wooden deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean features a swimming pool.