In the Riviera Lake Havasu Community, a new project by Drewett Works stood out for all of the right reasons. One of the first projects built in the upscale community, the two-story home combined modern design with lakeside living.
“It brought a desert, contemporary look to Lake Havasu that really hadn’t ever been done before,” says Scott Ward, owner of Mountain Desert Development, who collaborated with architect C.P. Drewett on the project. “C.P.’s designs are unique to the area. Since we built the home, it really has kind of triggered a chain reaction of design throughout the community.”
Ward and Drewett have collaborated on several projects within the subdivision, and their strong rapport was essential to the success of this build. One of the primary challenges they faced was designing this four-bedroom, three-bathroom home on a narrow lot measuring just 55 feet wide.
“When you have limited space, it is really important to prioritize it,” says Drewett. “One of the things I always try to do in our architecture is to replicate interior spaces on the exterior in a meaningful way. Instead of just being one singular large patio space, I tried to create vignettes where it’s a very deliberate and purposeful usage.”
Creating a patio that felt intentional despite spatial constraints led the team to design a striking pool that sits flush with the patio and is elevated 12 to 14 feet above ground. To achieve this, Ward enlisted his in-house team to pour a structural concrete base to support the pool.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: A ZEN-INSPIRED PARADISE VALLEY HOME BY OWNBY DESIGN
“We couldn’t find anybody locally down here at that time that was comfortable with that task, and we pulled it off very easily. It was fun,” Ward says.
The rest of the patio, which features sweeping views of the nearby marina, lake and mountains, was designed to join seamlessly with the interior of the home, with large sliding doors to separate the two and a modern outdoor fireplace and kitchen for entertaining.
“It’s compact, but wildly effective,” Drewett says of the patio. “It’s got all the bells and whistles. Even though it’s this compacted, somewhat open space.”
When designing the interiors, Claire Ownby, the founding designer of Ownby Design, wanted the design to reflect the home’s modern architecture.
“The materials were all really just kept very restrained to honor the architecture,” she says. “The architecture is so strong, and a lot of the materials flow inside out. Just making sure that, whatever we chose from a fabric or texture standpoint, it just really all complemented all of the architectural materials as well.”
The feature stone in the home — a limestone — sets the whole color palette.
“It’s neutral. It’s soft. It’s sandy. It’s not too cool, but it’s not too warm,” Ownby notes.
The owners envisioned interiors that feel soft, transitional and contemporary, while remaining highly functional for everyday living for themselves, their children and grandchildren. This emphasis on practicality is also reflected in the spacious garage, which boasts ample room for their RV, jet skis and boat.
“They wanted something spectacular in aesthetics, but function was high on the list,” she says. “The specialness about this house was just being really responsible about how materials were applied, so that everything felt intentional and well planned. Everything had its place.”
Bedrooms aside, all the other furniture in the home was custom-made to fit the space’s dimensions, and one of the primary focuses was on durable materials for its lakeside location.
All the fabrics were performance-rated and designed to be resilient enough to handle both water and sunblock. The materials are also intended to require minimal upkeep for the owners. The home’s main living space, kitchen and dining area feature easy-to-clean quartzite on the countertops and backsplash. Bed linens were kept the same throughout, so it’s easier for housekeeping to change the sheets.
“This is a modern structure that has a lot of really good comforts and amenities,” she says. “It’s just a very elevated aesthetic, both architecturally and through its interiors.”
The result is a home that blends modern design with contemporary comfort and functionality, redefining luxury lakeside living.
“We were one of the trailblazers in this community,” Ownby notes. “It was the kickoff.”
©2026 ICONIC - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
"*" indicates required fields
