Herb Ritts’s Glamorous Santa Fe Cabin Retreat
A deep dive into the photographer’s collaboration with his mother on a rustic sanctuary.
.jpg)
1Discovery of Santa Fe
Photographer Herb Ritts discovered the Santa Fe area five years prior to 1996 through his aunt, Allene LaPides. Seeking a remote escape from his busy Los Angeles lifestyle, he purchased property high above the foothills. The site offered panoramic views of the piñon-bristled plains, providing a serene environment for his creative reflection.
2Expansion and Vision
Ritts gradually expanded his holdings, acquiring 150 acres of forest land on a mountain side. After discovering an old well on the property, he envisioned building a romantic log cabin retreat. He initially attempted to design the structure himself, but eventually sought the professional expertise of his mother, interior designer Shirley Ritts.
3Mother-Son Collaboration
Shirley Ritts, known for her energetic design approach, transformed Herb’s initial rustic concepts into a sophisticated project. While Herb originally wanted a small shack without electricity, Shirley insisted on structural integrity and luxury. Their collaboration involved rigorous planning, including late-night revisions to blueprints to ensure the cabin met their high standards.
4Material Selection Process
The pursuit of perfection defined the construction phase. Shirley Ritts personally selected individual planks at local lumberyards alongside builder John Wolf and cabinetmaker Jeff Carbine. Herb insisted on specific aesthetic details, such as using elliptical river rocks from Villanueva for the fireplaces, ensuring the stones matched in color and texture throughout.
5Global Interior Curation
The cabin’s interior reflects a global collection of furnishings sourced from Los Angeles, Paris, and other exotic locations. The design features seventeenth-century chairs, Agra rugs, and thirties French club chairs. These pieces sit alongside mission-style furniture by local designer Randolph Laub, creating a unique blend of historical and contemporary artistic influences.
6Artistic Personal Collection
Ritts decorated the space with his extensive photography collection, including works by Man Ray and Herbert List. His own photographs, which emphasize physical perfection and abstract organic forms, are displayed alongside these vintage prints. The collection mirrors his 1997 retrospective exhibition held at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
7Design Legacy Context
Herb Ritts grew up surrounded by Hollywood icons, with neighbors like Steve McQueen and his mother’s clients including Cary Grant. This upbringing influenced his appreciation for environment and design. Shirley Ritts, who previously decorated homes in Los Angeles and Malibu, considers this cabin project the crowning achievement of her long professional career.
8Final Architectural Impact
The cabin serves as a testament to the intersection of rustic architecture and high-end glamour. By rejecting the 'little shack' concept, the Ritts duo created a sophisticated retreat that honors the epic scale of the New Mexico landscape. It remains a significant example of how personal history informs private architectural spaces.
Original article: Vogue — Herb Ritts’s Glamorous Santa Fe Cabin Retreat