A Solar-Powered Occidental Hideaway With a Refined Camp Edge

In Occidental, California, Regan Baker Design and MAD Architecture created a home that feels seamlessly woven into its surroundings. Rather than a single monolithic structure, the property unfolds into a trio of low-profile buildings linked by breezeways.

The interiors balance that rugged shell with warmth: limewash walls, walnut cabinetry, sculptural furnishings, and collected pieces that nod to clients Kim Jordan and Dick Cantwell’s roots in the craft brewing world. “It’s incredible watching them move through the space so effortlessly,” Regan says. “Everything is perfectly placed for their lifestyle.”

Design: Regan Baker Design | Architecture: MAD Architecture | Photography: Laure Joliet

A Landscape-Led Approach to Sustainable Living

From the moment you arrive, the architecture sits low and understated, wrapped in Corten steel, Shou Sugi Ban siding, and board-formed concrete—materials chosen not just for aesthetics, but for fire resistance and durability. The entire compound runs fully electric and is powered by an on-site photovoltaic system, allowing Kim and Dick to live with complete energy independence.

Before anything was built, the couple spent a year camping on the land to understand its rhythms, and their stewardship didn’t stop there. They removed 14 of the 20 acres of vineyard to restore native coastal grassland and maintain a working farm with gardens, beehives, and a small homebrewery.

Craft, Quirk, and a Collector’s Eye Indoors

Inside, Regan layered in color and personality to complement the home’s raw materials. Portola Paints’ “Sea Salt” lime wash wraps the entry, mudroom, laundry, and corridors in a soft, chalky texture that balances the concrete and steel. The entry sets the tone: playful seating, graphic art, and a sinuous ceiling light that immediately signals the clients’ love of objects with soul.

Regan notes that embracing the couple’s collector spirit was essential. “Kim is an avid collector of quirk and vintage,” she says. “Their friends often gift them little knick-knacks, and she loves to display them. Having others fill her home with goodies nods to her light-footprint ethos.”

In the living room, rich textures—leather, wool, walnut—gather around a monumental picture window. A custom sliding “Dandelion” art panel conceals the TV and symbolizes ideas carried forward on the wind, a metaphor for the clients’ commitment to meaningful change.

Material Honesty Meets California Warmth in the Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the main house and the clearest expression of the project’s material clarity. Horizontal walnut cabinetry, a custom etched-bronze hood and island, and a backsplash of weathered white brick tile create a warm yet restrained palette.

The space also reflects an unexpected design evolution. “We all fell in love with a heavy timber ceiling,” Regan says, “but we had to cut costs somewhere.” Removing dropped ceilings and doors ultimately shaped the home’s most effortless flow. “The end result is so much better than our original design. It’s more in tune with the architecture and our clients’ overall lifestyle of casual entertaining.”

(Bottom Right) The pantry opens into a jewel-box of color with Benjamin Moore’s “River Blue,” a saturated contrast to the home’s natural tones.

A Bedroom Rooted in Stillness and the Landscape

The primary suite is a lovely, pared-back space oriented toward meadow views and a massive prehistoric boulder known as the Mammoth Rock. Believed to have been a resting place for woolly mammoths, the stone became a natural anchor point for the architecture and a reminder of the land’s deeper history.

Regan softened the room’s clean-lined architecture with a deep blue Armadillo rug, a graphic coverlet, and curated art that picks up the surrounding greens and golds. A built-in bookcase wall holds the couple’s well-loved novels and vintage finds, echoing their love of collecting.

(Bottom Left) In the hallway leading to guest spaces, Benjamin Moore’s “Bright Gold” appears as a cheerful surprise, echoing the meadow tones outside.

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