Gorgeous Coastlands House Gets 80% of its Power From the California Sun

<a href="http://www.carverschicketanz.com/architecture/coastlands-house/">Carver + Schicketanz</a> designed this gorgeous home for a retired couple in Big Sur, California. Built on an enviable sloping site overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Coastlands House has a great stone base crowned with a steel and glass-clad living area. To top it off, an expansive 4.4kW <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/photovoltaic-array/">photovoltaic spread</a> generates roughly 80 percent of the home's entire energy requirement.

This is what a retired couple look at every day!

Coastlands House is located in Big Sur, California

The stone base connects the home to the rising slope behind it

A wild palette of natural materials gives the home its extraordinary warmth

The stone base is crowned with a steel and glass-wrapped living area

Many of the finishing materials used were reclaimed

Stacking sliding glass windows open to the remarkable view

A great majority of the furnishings were designed by the architects specifically for the couple

Whilst contemporary and sophisticated, great attention has been paid to integrating the home in its natural context

Can you think of a better way to retire?