Photos by Juwan Li, courtesy of Aaron Kirman Group

Built in the style of a traditional riad, with a central courtyard and fountain It?s hard to stand out in a sea of ho-hum real estate listings, but this four-bedroom, eight-bath mansion in Palm Desert, California, caught our eye. We?ve seen plenty of sprawling estates modeled after an Italian villa, but this 12,925-square-foot home looks to the Moroccan riad for inspiration.

Traditional riads are usually multi-story structures centered around an interior garden or Andalusian-style courtyard with fountain. Called Casbah Cove, this home took four years to build and sought to blend Moroccan traditions with contemporary amenities. Like a riad, a verdant courtyard in the middle of the house features lush palms and a fountain, although the Americanized version also boasts a retractable glass ceiling. Elsewhere, reflecting pools and fountains provide a peaceful backdrop while large windows and vanishing glass walls bring the outdoors in. A hookah room seats 20, and other perks include a Hammam spa with steam room, a temperature-controlled wine room, a library, and a separate guest house. The desert location provides plenty of opportunities for indoor-outdoor entertaining, and the home doesn?t disappoint with a 20-foot outdoor movie screen, a large infinity lap pool, and an additional round 40-foot pool.
Love what you see" 613 Indian Cove is on the market now for $16,100,000.

This soothing teal r...