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ranch home built in 1962, some 130 miles outside of Los
Angeles, provides the starting point of this impressive
project. Nestled on an unfenced, 3.6-acre plot in front of
a boulder mountain adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park, the
property offers 270-degree views of the desert. "We renovated the
house extensively inside and out with the intention of creating
a peaceful desert retreat," says Elaine Chao, co-owner and
designer of Villa Kuro with Stanley Yang. "We are a husband-
wife team who love traveling and design. Coming from fashion
backgrounds, we transitioned to rehabbing and flipping homes
in Los Angeles after relocating from the Bay Area. is really
ignited our passion for architecture and interiors. We strive to
create modern spaces that are warm and timeless, and believe that
a home should be inspiring and rejuvenating."
At the helm of their studio Mini Inno, the duo designed
Villa Kuro—which can accommodate up to four guests—with
tranquility and relaxation in mind. e property maximizes
indoor-outdoor living and gives priority to natural materials
and textures. "We really wanted to highlight the scenery and
landscape, so large windows showcase the mountain and desert
views outside while large sliders connect to the outdoors from
every room," Chao says. Inside, framing the views was essential
and outside, especially in the 600-square-foot rock and cactus
garden courtyard and covered patio perfect for outdoor dining,
the scenery continues to take center stage. ese exterior areas
also comprise a saltwater hot tub, outdoor shower and propane
fire pit. e old garage, meanwhile, is now the tea house, which
Chao confesses to be a favorite spot in the home. "We wanted to
maximize on its position, so we opened up huge walls of sliders on
both sides to integrate the outdoors with the indoors and to take
advantage of the expansive desert views looking out west," she
says. "e other slider in the tea room opens up to the rock and
cactus garden courtyard; using boulders we craned down from the
boulder mountain on our property."
Wood beams and wicker pendants characterize the
interior spaces, where muted and earthy tones evoke
a serene feeling. "Villa Kuro is a minimal organic
modern hideaway fusing natural simplicity with
contemporary luxuries," Chao notes. All custom-built,
the two bathrooms and the kitchen feature tadelakt, a
lime plaster technique from Morocco, creating a rustic
aesthetic. e project was not only inspired by nature
but also by the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, which
finds beauty in imperfections. Simple yet refined,
Villa Kuro is an invitation to take time to relax and
contemplate. villakuro.com
