Barstola, Sonoma County

Taking six years to plan and build the house artfully combines steel, stucco, concrete, stone, wood, water and glass to create a minimalist masterpiece that is all air, light and crisp geometric angles. Its signature metal-clad roof evokes shades of Dutch gambrel houses and Frank Gehry. The recently landscaped, resort-like grounds by landscape architect Stephen Wheeler feature complete privacy, with 5,000 square feet of patios and decks. There's also a 60-foot solar-heated lap pool with an automatic cover and an underwater bench – perfect for lolling and sipping – as well as a large lawn and a glass filled fire-pit for cool evenings.

Joel is a contributor on Design-Milk's weekly architectural posts and Apartment Therapy's Unplggd daily technology posts.