Hundred Mile House is an architectural design and construction practice creating modern residential and commercial projects throughout California, from high-end homes to premium cabins to retail showrooms.
Practical, inspired design. We’re known for our award-winning contemporary homes and sensitive renovations of mid-century modern and Spanish colonial revival homes. We’re passionate about design and innovation and our team approaches every architectural, interior and landscape design project with a collaborative spirit to find delightful and inspiring solutions in partnership with our clients.
We’re also a licensed general contractor with in-house construction services and teams throughout Southern California. Our talented craftspeople bring our design vision into reality with an unparalleled attention to detail. We work closely with our clients using our state of the art project management tools to ensure we stay on budget and on schedule throughout the process. And our project managers, site superintendents and field technicians make the construction journey as positive an experience as possible.
While we are passionate about creating beauty, the functional experience is as important as the aesthetic. We’re always balancing form and function in our process.
Spaces that work. The environments we create are comfortable and intuitive, with thoughtful consideration for the reality of how they will be used; constant guests? Kid-friendly? Serene and private? The spatial experiences we create must support our clients’ lives, not get in their way.
From the initial kick off meeting through final delivery, we strive to keep our client at the center of our process, listening intently to their needs and emphasizing transparency and communication in our project management.
Your home can be your refuge; somewhere you’re willing to drive a hundred miles to get to. We bring beauty, inspiration, and celebration to all of our work; these are things every home can have, small or large.
“We have owned and remodeled many homes and worked with many architects and contractors. Our experience with Duane and his team was extraordinary. We always felt Duane listened closely to us to work to give us what we wanted but he also stood up for what he felt was right, so that we ended up in a place that we never would have gotten to on our own. We are forever thankful to him for that. Always when you do a remodel there are unexpected turns and twists but Duane navigated it with ease and helped us get to the finish line without the stress that usually comes with a big project like this one. He also was great at working closely with us to shave corners when we had to trim the budget and find creative ways to get the result we wanted within our means. Communication with all members of his team was great. They are all professionals and easy to work with. On a final note, I can’t tell you how many people come in our house and love it. It is not your typical Palm Springs remodel by any means. It is refined and restrained. And everyone asks “Who did this?!”” S.A. 2024
“It was a privilege working with Duane. His talent transcends through his work and rivals all others in his field. This man is absolutely brilliant and I would hire him again and again. Hundred mile house has become a name in Architecture for beautiful modern builds to off grid Joshua tree bungalows. HMH can assist in every aspect of building, which makes them stand out from the rest. They design, construct and furnish…. Down to the very last detail.” A.O. 2024
“HMH did amazing work for us, building our modern dream cabin in the woods.
Duane started by understanding the way we live, what is important to us, and the vision we had for our place. He was strategic about the lot we were working with, including trees we wanted to keep, how the light moves, and where both views and privacy could fit in. He engaged us in a very collaborative process to design a home that our family and friends truly love. It's gorgeous and livable and harmonious. Seven happy years later, we have great memories of the process. The home feels true to the vision we had, made better by the skill, creativity and insight of an incredible architect.” R.O. 2024
Hundred Mile House was founded in 2015 by Duane Smith. He’s an award-winning industrial designer with a passion for innovative, beautiful environments. Duane had a unique privilege to study sustainable architecture at the Bauhaus in Germany during the early days of its rebirth. There, he established his appreciation for modernism and design for the masses. After 30 years as an entrepreneur, corporate leader, and designer of everything from lighting to apparel to homes, he brings a breadth of knowledge and a unique perspective to residential design.
Starting with a brownstone rehab in Boston’s South End in 1998, followed by a desire to create a weekend escape within a couple of hours’ drive drew him to the natural beauty and rich architectural heritage of Wellfleet on Cape Cod in 2015. Then, a loft in LA in 2012 and a retreat in the desert of ultra-modernist Palm Springs finally seeded the idea of ‘Hundred Mile House’: helping others realize their own dreams of escape and inspiration, whether as primary residences, vacation homes, or investment properties.