A Mountain Home in Four Tones

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When a house is nestled in the mountains, design transcends the notion of shelter—it becomes a vessel for translating the soul of the landscape, embedding nature’s poetry into the prose of daily life.

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The project began with the owner’s deep affection for the mountains and the quiet allure of a teahouse. The owner's initial, “T,” serendipitously stands for “Tea,” lending the name “T House” a dual meaning that is both personal and thematic. We, in turn, set its tone as “A Mountain Home in Four Tones.” Dwelling in the mountains, life serendipitously finds four landscapes to settle the body and mind—the Mist, the Wine, the Clouds, and the Tea. These four scenes are both reflections of a state of mind and the very contours of a tranquil life.

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Tone One｜Entering the Mountain: Fragrance Greets the Mist

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The journey begins with a sensory overture. Eschewing a traditional walled entryway, we allow those returning home to be greeted immediately by a full window of greenery, while the distant mountain view becomes the very first welcoming vista. This is a practice in "borrowed scenery," and a feast for the senses—the tranquil fragrance released by an entire slab of Stout Camphor wood becomes the home’s unique, intangible welcome.

In the living room, an undulating wall is our artistic interpretation of “mountain mist.” It not only guides the eye but also gently conceals functional elements like shoe cabinets, storage, and a projector behind this poetic facade. As light dances across its surface, the boundary between interior and exterior blurs, mimicking fog drifting gently indoors. In contrast, the kitchen and dining area respond with the depth of “concentrated ink”: charred cedar-style cabinetry pairs with a live-edge timber table, cultivating a warm center for family connection.

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Tone Two｜Indulgence: Inviting the Moon for a Drink

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Ascending the stairs brings a vibrant shift in tempo. The second floor is a “loft apartment” with a unique character, the B-side to the home's album, composed for the younger souls of the family. The design language shifts from lyrical mountainscape to refined industrial chic.

In the lounge, warm brick meets cool concrete, framing a sleek mini-bar. A suspended wine wall becomes the highlight—crafted from slim steel cables and reeded glass, it replaces a traditional partition. Light filters through, transforming each bottle into a translucent piece of art. This is a private lounge for indulging in mellow moods and savoring fine tastes. And the hospitality does not stop there; if one can invite the moon, why not friends? When the sofa bed unfolds, complemented by a hidden wardrobe, the space effortlessly transforms from a social lounge into a self-contained guest suite, showcasing the design's subtlety and flexibility.

In the private zones, the industrial edges soften. A continuous wooden structure envelops the sleeping area, unifying the bed, daybed, and desk into a warm, all-in-one base. In the bathroom, a bespoke movable mirror frame satisfies functional needs without sacrificing the window's light and ventilation, a testament to an uncompromising commitment to livability.

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Tone Three｜Dwelling in Clouds: Resting on Wood to Gaze at the Mist

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Ascending further, the narrative returns to tranquility. The third-floor master suite is the ultimate sanctuary created for the homeowners—a poetic dreamscape of being "lost in the clouds."

The space is wrapped in pristine white, with a floating, dual-faced wardrobe gently separating the sleep and grooming areas like a drifting cloud. Counterbalancing this lightness is the grounded presence of "wood": a continuous timber beam, like a massive log hewn whole, runs from the headboard to the dressing room, its steady presence calming the entire bedroom's atmosphere. Thus, the two aged wood blocks at the bedside find their own place of being—less like deliberate nightstands and more like fragments derived from the great timber itself, inviting a peaceful slumber.

Entering the master bath is like walking into a valley cradled by gentle jade. Here, we designed a full-height window for the bathing area, making the lush greenery and the shifting sky the most luxurious backdrop. To ensure the vanity did not obstruct this view, a movable mirror frame was used again, cleverly balancing function with vista. Here, one can wash away all fatigue amidst the verdant jade and boundless daylight.

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Tone Four｜Summit: A Tranquil Heart, Permeated and Whole

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Climbing the glass-wrapped staircase to the topmost level marks the journey’s culmination. This loft is a hidden sanctuary—a personal universe suspended between heaven and earth.

Utilizing an original structural beam, the attic is divided into two worlds: one side for focused work, the other a tatami-lined tea room for contemplation. Crossing the beam becomes a ritual of shifting one's state of mind.

Here, the owner’s earliest wish is fulfilled in its purest form. Seated on the floor, brewing a pot of tea. The low table—custom-created for the owner with a Cypress top and Camphor legs—is simple yet substantial, speaking volumes in its silence.

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Dwelling in the mountains, with the Mist, the Wine, the Clouds, and the Tea, the house becomes a sanctuary that can settle the body and mind.....