This Sleek Oregon Retreat Pulls From Its High Desert Surroundings

When residential designer Corey Martin was asked to create a vacation abode in Bend that celebrates the high desert setting, he couldn’t wait to walk the site. He grew up in western and central Oregon, so the project represented something of a homecoming for him. “It’s my favorite place on earth,” he says, sharing his passion for the region’s volcanic landscape, clear skies and warm breezes that carry the scents of sage and manzanita. But what made this project especially rewarding for everyone involved was a shared commitment to innovative design. “I’m trained as an architect, so it was fun to geek out with Corey—it was high-level parametric thinking,” the owner says. “That’s exciting to be around.”

The client and his family have long loved Oregon’s beauty, so framing the dramatic scenery was key to designing their future full-time home. Martin embraced their respect for the land and crafted a house that plays off the property’s unique geology. The native environment remained largely intact, with rocks and trees left untouched or carefully replaced where they were found, allowing the structure to become one with the site. “Corey is an architect who’s very respectful of nature,” the owner adds. “And his superpowers are the way he assembles space and his mastery of volume and geometry.” 

In fact, the natural surroundings were key to the residence’s look and feel. Martin not only observed the light and wind patterns at the site but also took a deep dive into exploring the land’s geologic formations for inspiration. He reimagined them in architectural renderings, creating what he calls an “abstraction of the landscape.” A horizontal mass of pumice rock influenced the exterior walls, which are covered with hand-troweled stucco for an organic texture. Columns of basalt that rise from the ground were interpreted within the dwelling as concrete walls and fireplaces.

Snag trees—large, dead trees whose bark has blackened—are common in the desert, and they gave rise to the residence’s dark exterior and light, natural oak-lined interiors. “It’s like we carved into dark wood to uncover the bleached spaces within,” Martin explains. The concept of chipping away at a wooden block was often in the back of his mind as he created the abode. “It’s a process where the forms become more refined when I think about removing pieces in order to reveal something,” he says. 

Working with general contractors Mike Taylor, Dawn Contreras and Joe Waggoner, Martin realized a home that leans into minimalism while providing flexibility to meet the family’s needs. “This house can transform itself,” the owner notes, “serving as an intimate refuge for my wife and I, or becoming a ‘camp’ for our boys and their friends.” The shifting nature of the dwelling is due, in part, to an open floor plan whose contours can be altered with louvers, screens, and pivoting walls and doors. 

The minimally detailed backdrop also allows art and furniture arrangements to grow and shift easily. Currently, it celebrates the sculptural, clean lines of pieces selected with the help of interior designer Emily Knudsen, such as a George Nakashima bench, Børge Mogensen chairs and a Vladimir Kagan lamp. Artworks (including pieces by Louise Nevelson and Leroy Setziol) and collections (such as the vintage Dansk pepper grinders the owner has been amassing for more than 20 years) are allowed to shine. “The pure, minimal architectural volumes create powerful interior spaces,” Martin says.

Throughout, views of both the outside and the inside are the focus. Large expanses of windows showcase the desert beyond the walls, while glazed walkways within overlook the living room, a sitting area and a study space. “This house is all about being perched for an outlook,” the residential designer notes.

But it’s also about new ways of thinking. Both Martin and the clients believe that residential architecture can, and should, be more than shelter. “I treat the work I do as art,” Martin explains. “I want it to strike a chord and elicit an emotional response.” The owner agrees, adding, “Homes today are vessels of expression, a signature of who we are and how we live. And I hope, through this house, people can see the freedom we have to change the program of how we live our lives. Our homes should embody our hopes and wishes.”