Photo: William Helsel

Under the corrugated aluminum roof of the Bruner Residence, deep shady overhangs protect exterior walls and walkways from the blazing Central Valley summer sun. Located in a suburban housing development near Davis, the house is organized to create an interior oasis, a central landscaped courtyard with mature palms and views out to the farm fields beyond. Brightly colored stucco and selective use of wood elements modernize this adaptation of the traditional territorial style ranch home. The one-story house contains approximately 3,000 square feet on a stained and polished concrete slab, plus a three-car garage and guest quarters. The Landscape Architect for the project was Randy Thueme.

The Bruner Residence has been featured in three magazines this summer - New Home Magazine "Ranch Roundup," Sacramento Magazine "Home Territory," and Fine Homebuilding Annual Houses Issue "A Green Oasis in a Hot, Dry Climate," co-written by Murray Silverstein and Barbara Winslow. Please click on article names to read more about why this house has drawn so much attention.