These homes are inspired by the classic California designs of Charles and Henry Greene, but they have been updated for a contemporary indoor/outdoor lifestyle and elegantly matched to the contours of the Wilder landscape. They feature the trademark low-profile roofs and heavy timber detailing of the Craftsman style, combined with wide-open, light-filled interior spaces that spill out onto expansive decks and patios.

As with many of Orinda’s older homes, these ranch-style home designs exhibit a unique interplay of multiple wings, rooflines and materials. The combination of architectural elements feels casual and relaxed — a tower, an attached garage, the occasional patio or courtyard. The result is a meandering, free-spirited indoor/outdoor living environment.

There’s something about cottage architecture that just feels right in the terrain here. The style has a charm and simplicity that complements, rather than competes with, the natural surroundings. Step through the traditional arched entry door and you encounter a succession of unexpected spaces, indoors and out. Loggias, courtyards, kitchens, master suites and great rooms — all are designed to create delightful moments as you move through the home. (Even the passageway to a walk-in closet can be an adventure.)

This architectural style — with its tile roofs and white adobe walls — has deep roots in the region. Like most things in Wilder, our interpretation of the Spanish Colonial reveals itself in stages, as when a long entry gallery opens suddenly to a sweeping center courtyard. Or when that courtyard leads to an expansive great room with heavy-timbered ceilings and sunlight streaming through French doors.

It shares its heritage with Spanish Colonial Revival. But the Adobe Ranch style has a uniquely unpretentious, purposeful tone. Low-profile roofs, large overhanging eaves and adobe exteriors speak to the practical intent of the architecture, which is to allow inhabitants to live comfortably in all kinds of weather. We’ve improved on the level of comfort, of course, with magnificent indoor spaces. And also with balconies, terraces and courtyards that draw you outdoors.