The Concept is a a Five-star Boutique Hotel on a Residential Scale

Daniel Joseph Chenin crafts a cinematic residence in 20000-sf width, blending architecture and art, that serves as a family-centered hideaway on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Nevada. The client, a prominent couple, decided to leave their Hidden Hills home in Southern California to plant roots in Las Vegas, their focus was on family connections. Arriving at a pivotal point in their active lives, the clients wanted a house that could function as a fully-accommodating gathering space for the entire clan during holidays and seasonal visits, but which would also provide them with a retreat for themselves.

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Landscape Integration

The firm undertook the challenge of efficient space planning within the purchased land, utilizing excavation to nestle the property into a hillside. Elements of the excavated landscape were incorporated into the design, including a retaining wall, pillars, and a stone driveway, transitioning towards a residential theme. The entrance features a long driveway leading to a motor port with EV charging stations, a lantern marking the entrance, and ornamental bronze doors leading to an inner courtyard.

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

A Room with a View

Atop the entry portal, a glass box dubbed the 'crown' houses an entertainment lounge, gym, and spa with tinted windows designed to control sunlight. Landscaped decks extend the gathering spaces outdoors, offering views of the canyon and Las Vegas Strip to the East, and desert vistas to the West. Terraced outdoor dining and entertainment spaces, including a bacchii ball court and pool area, provide structured yet casual settings to enjoy the landscape.

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

A Timeless Concept

The clients expressed their interest in an H-shaped layout for the interior of the house, allowing for opposing wings to provide a personal retreat on one side, and guest accommodations with a variety of configurational options on the other. The interior layout, shaped like an H, offers personal retreats on one side and guest accommodations on the other, with an option to shut down one side environmentally. The design incorporates the client's collection of Hudson River School paintings, framing life within the spaces akin to frames around artwork. Guided by the concept of 'discovery of the nuance,' the spatial organization creates livable environments with classical and modern references combined into a distinct aesthetic.

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Situational Comfort

The central corridor of the house features gathering spaces, portals to various rooms, and connections to the exterior. Furniture selections range from resort-style richness to contemporary designs, reflecting the house's central role in social activity. To respond to the clients’ desire for their new home to serve as a gathering place for family and dear friends, an expansive central gallery was designed to accommodate dining room overflow, with a large communal table capable of seating 60+ guests. All liveable rooms were proportionally designed to be fully daylit courtesy of the house’s solar orientation and expansive windows that draw abundant natural light.

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

Photo credit: Douglas Friedman

A Suite of Personal Spaces

A vestibule at the end of each hallway denotes the entrance into two of the house’s five guest bedrooms, with an option to lock off and connect the two rooms. Guest bedrooms offer resort-quality accommodations including bathrooms featuring closed off water closets, marble double vanities, and expansive glassed-in showers with an integrated tub, each with access to secluded garden seating areas. The private wing includes a study, primary suite, and separate bathrooms and closets, with masculine and feminine design elements to suit individual preferences and complete the suite’s luxurious embrace.

Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.

Daniel Joseph Chenin is an integrated architecture and interiors studio specializing in the design of fully conceptualized residential environments. Founded in 2014, their philosophy is rooted in the idea that designs should be immersive and activate all senses to evoke a range of emotions. They view each project as an opportunity to create an experience with a story arc and a unique vocabulary used to set the visual stage and create a sense of place.