Modern houses that are timeless, thoughtfully detailed, marked by innovative and environmentally friendly design, and inevitably situated close to nature--by the sea, on the bluff, upon the dunes--are the hallmark of Stelle Lomont Rouhani.

From Casa Loma and Lazy Point to House on the Point, mere mention of the homes is enough to inspire visions of some contemporary Xanadu. But it is the specifics, the careful use of materials, the very close attention to place, bespoke furniture and fixtures, and above all a sensitivity to those who will live in the spaces created that make these extraordinary works of architecture such beloved dwellings.

With thought to an ultimate experience of comfort, to space and light, to views, and to a way of living beside nature that is considerate of nature, the architects open walls toward the sea and position decks to allow for the enjoyment of morning sunlight and scented breezes redolent of bayberries and pine. Ultimately it is a kind of harmony the architects are after and doing more with less, a Zen-like quality that renews the spirit, offering serenity and repose--and which, in the houses featured here, they so warmly, so quietly find.