ML - Vegas Magazine

2012 - Issue 7 - November

Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN MARTORANO/JPM STUDIOS (PROMENADE); ERIC JAMISON/STUDIO J. INC. (RIDGES); ERIC PENROD/PERFECT IMAGES (LAIRMONT) HAUTE PROPERTY Luxury Las Vegas homes are now incorporating more outdoor components, like this kitchen drenched in natural light. lovingly embraced the southwestern environ- ment for its rugged, indigenous beauty, with Joshua trees, Mojave yucca plants, creosote bushes, and blackbrush plants—plus views of the Spring Mountains, which include Mount Charleston. Sweltering summer heat and dust- carrying winds are a problem local architects, such as Las Vegas–based AssemblageStudio, have learned to address. "We believe that you can live outside in 110 degree weather and still be comfortable, but the outdoor space has to be done correctly with wind screens and proper ventilation," says Eric Strain, principal of AssemblageStudio (assemblagestudio.com). "The outdoor space is almost a vestibule. It can help adjust your inter- nal thermostat when transitioning from an air-conditioned area to an open-air setting." Cleverly arranged desert Sweltering summer heat is a problem local architects have learned to address. continued from page 111 another dimension by going up and out." Southern Nevada homes are often oriented to take full advantage of the subtropical climate and surrounding vistas: The better the view, the better the value. Locals and visitors alike have cool-down mode. Other architectural devices for making desert living livable are deep, shaded overhangs, window louvers, and fans. "We try to screen-direct heat and diffuse day- light into the home," Strain says. "Or we will place windows away from eye-level, for Modern glass doors give the illusion of uninterrupted space in this custom home in The Ridges. landscaping can provide sheltering shade that acts as a buffer against the natural elements. Lush, flowering, drought-tolerant trees, plants, and shrubs can additionally suggest an oasis-like setting, or add- ing hints of water, Strain says, such as arroyos and rivulets, can have a subtle but potent psychological effect that tricks the body into unexpected views. The effect feels like you're bringing landscaping into the home." Obscuring the line between indoors and out often starts with the glazing: Skillfully placed protective glazing can make a home glow like a lantern at night for a sense of ethereal transpar- ency. Several industry trade tricks can produce this quality as well: Open-flowing floor plans, for instance, allow greater uninterrupted expanses of space that allow daylight to penetrate deeper and further inside a room. Shelves, reflective hues, and articulated façades can refract and amplify light. Window size and placement, meanwhile, play an impor- tant role for achieving an open-air ambience. Clerestory windows, low-lying openings, and skylights can carry light from unexpected angles for uniquely illuminated perspectives that grace- fully meld indoors and out. High ceilings are another device that may lend volume to a room and amplify sunlight for a warm, many Southern Nevadans. "People don't want to feel like they're inside a dark cave," Jenson says. "Home buyers really want a 'wow' factor with light-filled open floor plans and great views, which add to a sense of space. It's a quality all This covered outdoor oasis makes it easy to get fresh air. the finer homes Southern Nevada possess." V in lustrous feeling that spells "home" for 112 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM

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