Owners, Brad and Leyla, have been a couple for over 30 years. It is their daily practice to read scripture separately and then come together and encourage each other from what they discovered. 

In June of 2019, Leyla was set to depart for Kenya to run a half-marathon with her dad and sister. That morning, she and Brad realized they had unknowingly read the same passage of scripture, which was the story of Shunemite Hospitality in 2 Kings 4:8-10. It is the only passage in scripture where a husband and wife agree on a building project together for the purpose of retreat for the holy man that often passed through their region.

Brad knows better than to show excitement toward Leyla since she is always at-the-ready to act on even the slightest flicker of Brad’s ideas. But Brad felt there was life in the passage and they should consider how to respond.

During the trip to Kenya, Leyla prayed daily and an unusual vision formed of a beehive-shaped structure that had Jerusalem stone rooting its place on the bottom level, and an offset attic-type space on the upper level. She sketched the details of her vision as best she could, and when she returned home, took it to her friend, Zach, owner of Ulrick Design to ask if this kind of build was even possible. 

Within a few weeks, Zach had designed the first draft of the building, with sound architecture to secure the design, and a keen desire to work on the project alongside Brad and Leyla. 

When it finally came to designing the interior, it was a supernatural experience for Leyla. She had prayed about the budget, and from Proverbs 24:3-4, she heard the instruction to fill the rooms with rare and beautiful treasures.

One small problem: Leyla doesn’t like shopping. So she prayed on where to source the objects and waited for directions, literally.  Over the course of ten months, Leyla visited quaint shops in Healdsburg, CA, wholesalers in San Diego, and everything in between. Each carpenter, shop owner and clerk graciously offered discounts and, on occasion, even granted access to museum quality furniture and artifacts.

The result today, is a one-of-a-kind retreat experience on the central coast of California. This two-story structure is rich in detail, saturated colors, clean lines and architectural ingenuity that sets a space for sacred retreat, rest for the soul, and rejuvenation for the mind and body. It is truly a holy retreat on sacred land.