LIFE BEYOND FIRST CLASS
DESIGN & ARCHTIECTURE
SUN-WASHED SANCTUARY
The El Dorado Residence by Susan Marinello Interior Design is a sunlit retreat in Los Cabos that blends Baja’s rich textures and culture with warm minimalism, creating a soulful, barefoot-luxury haven for modern family living.
ANN JO
PHOTOGRAPHY: AARON LEITZ
Drapery: De Miguel Taller Local Workroom
Artist: Ivan Carmona
Artist: Frank Arnold Local Artist
Custom Cabinet: Lily Jack Made of Parota wood, native to Mexico
Table Lamp & Stools: Palecek
Lounge Chairs: EJ Victor
Rug: Turabi Rug Gallery
Table Lamp: CB2
Custom Sofa: Lily Jack, Fabric: Thibaut
Pillows: Pierre Frey Osborne & Little
Custom Side Table: Lily Jack
High above the Sea of Cortez, where the sky seems to melt into the ocean, the El Dorado Residence offers more than just a view. It offers a feeling. Perched atop the Hilltop Villas in Los Cabos, Mexico, this 10,200-square-foot home was envisioned as a warm-weather sanctuary for a blended family from Seattle. But rather than lean on expected tropes of coastal luxury, interior designer Susan Marinello and her team approached the project as an opportunity to create something far more soulful: a home that breathes with the rhythm of Baja, honoring its textures, craft traditions, and tranquil light.
Spread across the third and fourth floors of a multifamily structure within the exclusive El Dorado Golf & Beach Club, the residence floats above the landscape, its rooftop terraces and open interiors catching sun, breeze, and view in equal measure. Designed to accommodate a lively family of eight and their guests, the home had to function both as a gathering place and a restful retreat. Marinello, alongside Katie Quackenbush, Jordan Cresap, and Zyanya Zaldo, delivered both—with a quiet, confident hand.
Interiors: Susan Marinello
Architecture: Denton House Design Studio
Developer: Discovery Land Company
Artist: Tracy Stuckey
Custom Bench: Lily Jack; Fabric: Pierre Frey
Rug: Stark Carpet
Vase: Local Cabo Retail
Console: Palecek
Stool: Pfeifer Studio
The material palette is restrained but never cold—sun-washed whites, hand-finished woods, and sandy neutrals set the tone, allowing the vibrant culture of Mexico to emerge through art, textiles, and local craftsmanship. From the moment you step inside, there’s a tactile ease to the space. Surfaces invite touch. Light moves softly across woven textures and grainy timbers. It’s the kind of interior that asks you to kick off your shoes and stay a while.
Central to the design is a focus on handmade detail. Seagrass, rope, and woven fibers appear in everything from light fixtures to area rugs, while larger moments—like the custom Parota wood slab dining table—serve as grounding focal points. “We wanted to work with artisans and materials that felt honest to the place,” says Marinello. “It was never about bringing Seattle to Mexico—it was about listening to Baja and letting the interiors emerge from that conversation.”
Custom Bed & Bench: Lily Jack
Pillows: Pierre Frey & Kravet
Custom Lampshade: Mexican Otomi Textile
Custom Nightstand: Royal Custom Designs
Floor Lamp: CB2
Chair: Anthropologie
Dresser: Four Hands
Rug: Turabi Rug Gallery
Bed: Palecek
Framed Textile: St. Frank Mexican Otomi
Floor Lamp: CB2
Custom Chaise: Lily Jack
Fabric: Thibaut
Pillows: Jim Thompson & Brochier
Table: Palecek
Chair: Jasper
Rug: Stark Carpet
That philosophy guided everything from the indigenous animal mask collection in the bunkroom to the Oaxacan light fixtures and the woven baskets adorning the kitchen. In the living room, a commanding painting by Frank Arnold, selected by the clients during a studio visit in San José del Cabo, adds emotional weight and depth. Every object feels chosen, not staged—imbued with personal resonance and story.
Despite the generous square footage, the layout never feels cavernous. Spaces flow easily into one another, with indoor and outdoor rooms blurring together through expansive glazing and shaded terraces. Bedrooms open to private balconies; bathrooms are layered with textured stone, natural light, and a sense of elemental calm. The design encourages movement and rest in equal measure—always oriented to the views, but never beholden to them.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
Plumbing: Waterworks
Rug: Vintage Mexican
Dining Table & Chairs: Harbour
Sofa: Restoration Hardware
Pillow: Jim Thompson
Side Table: Made Goods
Plumbing: Waterworks
The collaboration with Denton House Design Studio and Discovery Land Company helped ground the project in both architectural integrity and regional sensitivity. But it is Marinello’s nuanced interiors that give the residence its true soul. “This is a barefoot, bikini kind of house,” she says. “It’s meant to be lived in—with kids, dogs, guests, and sunshine in every corner.”
In a setting as breathtaking as Los Cabos, it would be easy for the architecture to shout. Instead, the El Dorado Residence whispers, offering a masterclass in restrained elegance, where luxury is felt through light, texture, and the comfort of a space deeply connected to its place.
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