Jennifer JohnstonDesign

Chapter 03 · The Work

A scroll of places.

Rooted in who you already are.

  1. Project 01 / 02
    In Design

    Todos Santos, Baja California Sur

    Hacienda Escondido

    2026, ongoing·Hacienda Restoration · Landscape · Rooftop

    A brick-and-clay hacienda restoration on the Pacific side of Baja. Five buildings, one garden, and every element at play.

    The main house keeps its terracotta tile roof, heavy timber porch, and beautiful accented Mexican tile flooring. The desert garden is being revived around a saltwater pool where Japanese Zen Buddhism meets the Baja desert, surrounded by neem trees, palo verde, agave, and native cactus laid out to a five-element diagram. The rooftop is being reconstructed to add an additional bedroom and bathroom, plus a lounge area for rooftop sunset views and morning sunrises over the Sierra de la Laguna mountains. This is a working example of what a place can be when balance is designed, not decorated, and all five elements are at play.

    Elements in play

    EarthWaterWoodFireMetal
    Hacienda Escondido with desert garden and cactus
    Hacienda Escondido · Todos Santos
    Timber and brick porch with rocking chairs
    Aerial view toward the Pacific
    Rooftop bar with ocean view
    Village context, Todos Santos
  2. Project 02 / 02
    Completed

    Casa de Luz Village, Toomey Road, Austin

    Moment of Tea

    2025·Tea House · Interior & Ritual Design

    A tea house tucked inside Casa de Luz Village, built around a single question: what does an American city need to slow down?

    I first met Tran, founder of Moment of Tea, on a cloudy, rainy day in Austin. She wanted a space that was communal and warm, with a clean modern edge and the feeling of being completely at ease with yourself. That conversation became the seed of the project. Tran was open to designing through the five elements, using them to ground the space, inspire ritual, and connect people to each other and to themselves. The flow is effortless: softness meets structure, roundness meets square geometry, and reflection is built into every corner. Every sense is engaged, from the sound of the kettles to the smell of the teas, the tactile textures, and the high-to-low seating spread like a mountain ridge. It was a pleasure to bring Moment of Tea to life with her.

    Elements in play

    WoodFireEarthMetalWater
    Red-lit tea house with paper lanterns, banquette, and wooden chairs
    Moment of Tea · Casa de Luz Village
    Low tea table with red floor cushions, singing bowls, and paper lantern
    Banquette seating and paper globe pendants in the evening
    Wood tables, cedar slat wall, and hanging linen panels
    Round tea table with ribbed stools by a sunlit window
    Long tea bar with kettle, matcha station, and TEA sign
    Detail of tea bar with hourglass timers and TEA logo
    Carved teak window with Buddha and pink glass vessel
    Full view of the ash tea bar and stools

    Find them on Instagram @moment.of.tea

To be continued

The next project is always being auditioned against the five.