Rancho Panoramo
House Guide
Welcome to Rancho Panoramo.
We're thrilled to have you here!
I'm Anthony, and together with my partner Stacey and our friend Ryan, we purchased this land back in 2016. It took a few years to get water and power to the property, but in early 2018, we finally broke ground on what would become our cherished home. Since then, it has been a true labor of love. Every aspect of the house - and nearly all the furniture within it - was designed, fabricated, and built by us on-site, bit by bit, whenever time allowed. In 2024, we finally put down the tools and said, "Okay, it's done!"
But the construction was only half the journey. We designed this house as a vessel for our own family to slow down and connect. We spent those six years of building obsessing over experiential design - learning how to quiet visual noise and limit distractions. After all that time and work, it has been a profound discovery to see the space have those same effects for our guests. Whether you came here to listen to music, cook a wood-fired meal, or just sit in the desert silence, the house is designed to get out of your way so you can focus entirely on the experience.
We wrote this guidebook to help you quickly get up to speed with the systems we've built, so you can start relaxing right away.
Please make yourself at home and explore everything our place has to offer. If you need anything at all during your stay, don't hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Anthony, Stacey & Ryan
House Guide
Pets - Please keep pets off beds and furniture. No pets are allowed in the theater. Help keep our neighbors clean - please pick up all dog waste.
No Smoking - No smoking inside the property. There is an ashtray on the outside table - feel free to kick it there.
Quiet Time - Sound travels remarkably well through the desert. Kindly respect our neighbors - keep quiet hours outside after 10:00pm and until 8:00am.
Fire Safety - Lighting fires is only allowed in the hot tub stove and inside the pizza oven. Please read the written guidelines before any burning. Always exercise extreme caution, especially in windy conditions.
The Listening Room - Please do not touch the walls or ceiling - acoustic fabric, extremely delicate. No food or drinks on the rug. No sleeping in the theater. The room is for film and music only.
Have Fun - This place is fun - relax and let us help guide you. If you need anything during your stay, don't hesitate to reach out.
Park in front of the house or on the side of the theater building. There is a Level 2 EV charger available for use during your stay.
To join the network simply tap your phone to the Wi-Fi icon on the keychain, or use the credentials below.
Network
(((RANCHOPANORAMO)))
Password
panoramo
Your passcode will be the last 4 digits of your reservation phone number.
When you enter the front doorway you will find a digital lockbox. Enter your 4-digit code into the keypad on the lockbox. Open the box by pulling the face down.
Inside you'll find a keychain. The FOB card opens both the front door and the theater building - simply hover near the keypad on the door. The standard key opens the kitchen door if needed.
Filtered water comes from the tap to the left of the kitchen faucet. Do not leave unattended - it is far too easy to forget and flood the kitchen. Trust us, we've done it a thousand times.
The dish soap dispenser is to the right of the kitchen faucet. Dishwasher pods are stored under the sink.
The cycle labels on the dishwasher have worn off over time - refer to the diagram below. Normal is the right choice for most loads.
Kitchen bins are in the cabinet right of the sink - push the door to pop it open. If full, use the large bins outside along Baseline Rd. Bags are under the sink.
Grey bin = garbage · Blue bin = recycling. Please replace lids so animals don't get in.
To help you start your day, the house is stocked with freshly ground Mellow Ethiopian beans from our local roastery, Joshua Tree Coffee. You'll find the coffee, filters, a scale, and everything else you need tucked away in the middle drawer directly below the coffee station.
The Fellow Aiden coffee machine is a precision brewer designed to replicate a premium pour-over. It can handle anything from a single cup to a full batch.
You can use it exactly like a standard coffee machine, or follow the guided brew instructions below to get the absolute best cup possible.
- A Dial
- B Display
- C Water Tank
- D Carafe
- E Filter Box
- F Shower Head Selector
The Listening Room now runs through the iPad controller. It starts the right activity, changes inputs, manages the projector, curtains, lights, and keeps the audio equipment protected.
The newest step-by-step walkthrough lives at the controller guide below. If anything here feels different from what you see in the room, trust the controller walkthrough first.
Best way to learn the room Interactive Controller Walkthrough Open controller.ranchopanoramo.com →
More Info: Two Systems
This is background context, not something you need to manage. There are two separate systems in the same room. They share the room and the main front speakers, but the controller switches between different equipment depending on the activity.
Activities
Dedicated movie server with high-fidelity 4K Blu-rays and concert films. Use the large Zidoo remote on the window deck.
Everyday streaming. Use the Apple TV remote in the room or the on-screen remote from the controller.
Apple Music spatial audio through the theater system. Tap Open Music if you want to pick music.
Host-enabled Roon listening through the PrimaLuna tube amp. Wait through the 85-second warm-up before choosing music.
Quick Start
It is mounted on the wall to the left of the entry door. Tap the front button to wake it. No password.
Tap the blue controller icon at the bottom of the iPad home screen.
Tap the current activity button in the upper left. This opens the menu for watching, listening, and powering off.
Pick the experience you want. The controller starts the correct equipment and sets the room for you.
Return to the Activity Menu and tap Power Off. The room shuts down in the correct order.
The projector has a 2-minute cooldown after shutdown. The HiFi tube amp has its own cooldown protection too.
The controller also gives you room controls without leaving the activity screen. Use these for small adjustments while watching or listening.
Always open the grill lid before lighting. Turn the burner knob, and the grill should light automatically. If it doesn't catch, double-check that the propane valve is fully open.
The propane tank is located in the cabinet directly underneath the grill.
A two-drawer refrigerator is built into the counter to the left of the grill. We keep it turned off between stays to conserve energy. Just let us know if you'd like it running during your visit, and we'll gladly switch it on for you.
Cooking a meal in the wood-fired oven is one of the best things about this property. Whether you're turning out pizzas, roasting meats, or baking cast-iron sides - it takes a little planning, but the payoff of cooking over a live fire makes it worth it.
Method & Timing
We recommend the "Fire and Forget" method. Build the fire once, light it, and let the oven do the heavy lifting. Budget about 2 hours from first lighting to first pizza - most of that time is completely hands-off.
Gather Your Tools
Everything you need is in the cabinet to the right of the oven:
Top Drawer
Long lighters · infrared temperature gun · meat thermometer
Lower Cabinet
Pizza peel - comes in two pieces, screw the handle on before use. Please wash and return it when done.
Prep Your Kindling
Use the firewood splitter next to the wood pile - place a log in the center opening and strike with the 4lb mallet until it splits. Keep splitting down to thin pieces.
The Wood-Fired Experience
Heating a wood-fired tub takes a bit of hands-on effort, and we realize putting in work might not be on your vacation itinerary. But there's a reason we chose this setup.
There is a real satisfaction in building the fire, tending it, and bringing the water up to temperature yourself. It forces you to slow down a bit, and once you finally step in, that soak feels like a real reward.
