Sited on an eastern slope in the California foothills with views through the trees of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Dog Bar House was client built on an extended schedule and a thrifty budget. Originally conceived as a simple, compound style residence with shed-shaped structures interspersed among the hillside oaks, the home evolved into a barnlike central living space with satellite buildings for sleeping and working. The master bedroom suite is connected to the common room by an enclosed bridge, but the guest suite is a completely separate structure tucked around a slight knoll, and the garage/workshop is sited further downslope mostly out of view. Timber framed shed porches provide cover from the elements at access points, and a massive stone chimney helps anchor the home to the sloping landscape. In all, the structural forms, materials, and detailing reflect a local building vernacular influenced by the surrounding gold country heritage and the unique California foothill topography and climate.