A narrow garden and climbing ivy soften and brighten the house’s blank front facade.
In the hallway another set of sliders shows off a mix of influences from shoji to Schindler, with multitoned wood reflecting the sunlight.
In the kitchen, wall-to-wall cabinets hold files from the adjacent home office in addition to storing servingware and kitchen appliances. The custom island shows off Tan’s craft. The range hood is wrapped in millwork, and the countertop is a 1-inch slab of solid plantation teak. When there’s no cooking going on, “the kitchen can just disappear” behind another piece of wood, Ho Ping Kong says.
A wide cut across the top of the structure made room for a second-floor courtyard where the family can catch some sun but maintain their privacy. On the ground level, the front door is tucked into an ivy-covered alcove lined with ipe, a material used throughout the house.
Custom MDF cabinetry was built by local cabinetmakers InGrain Custom Millwork and painted a soft gray shade.
The moody tiled shower in the primary bathroom is homeowner Tomasz Wagner's favorite spot in the home. "I have yelled to Amy, 'I love this shower!' while I'm in there," he admits.
The new primary bathroom includes dramatic silver soapstone countertops and a wall finished in dark glass tile.
A plaster wall and tan ceramic floor tile in the primary bathroom help lighten the space while adding texture. The designers kept the original corrugated metal ceiling, opting to paint it white.
Easy living was one of the homeowners' main goals, and thanks to the work of A. Gruppo, they now have a home they can be happy in for a long time to come.
The homeowners love the flow of the kitchen, dining room, living room, and butler’s pantry—so much so that they've already had more parties since moving in than they did in 26 years at their prior residence.
In the daytime, the Polygal system pulls in soft, natural light, while at night there are a rainbow of options. "It has a beautiful quality of natural light during the day—plus it manages UV rays and privacy, and controls glare," says Lori.
One facade features Polygal, a polycarbonate sheet first manufactured in 1970 and now available in various layers, colors, and degrees of transparency. The Polygal used for Trammel House has LED light strips inside, which the Louises play with for holidays and parties.
Colter added an “assembly line” of light portholes throughout the studio as an affordable blend of style and function.
The kitchen almost blends into the background of the home, thanks to the all-over use of plywood across the cabinetry, appliances, and ceiling.
"I can’t think of anything we did that doesn’t serve some sort of practical function,
Nashville resident Kelli Hix added a 500-square-foot guest apartment onto the back of her 1930s bungalow.
Looking straight up at the building's skylight, which illuminates not only the stairs but all the public upstairs spaces.
The stairway is an experience unto itself, condensing the light and the monochromatic wood-wrapped interior present in the rest of the dwelling.
The main living-dining area look on the lake side, above the boat dock and railings, with room for a small outdoor deck. The sliding glass doors also help naturally ventilate the space.
The kitchenette includes just a small refrigerator under the countertop and no cooking range (because of the boathouse's pairing with the main house), but can easily be converted to a full kitchen.
On the boathouse's lakeside, the family can just open a garage door and lead one of their two small boats down the rails and into the water. Beside is a small deck.
Why Now, More Than Ever, the ADU Is the Future of Home: Whether it serves as an investment, backyard office, or intergenerational housing, the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) has never made more sense.
Katsura trees, climbing hydrangeas, and basalt stepping stones create a pleasing passageway between the lower back deck and the new garage. “What could have been leftover space, I wanted to be a promenade,” says Andrea.
McLean chose artificial turf for the front yard, where Hana Bea and her sister, Pilar, 9, play as Sharen looks on.
The cedar decks were left to bleach in the sun for one summer and then finished with a light gray wash. Metal Solair chairs are in keeping with the tricolor palette of black, white, and green.
Hana Bea, 6, follows the concrete pavers that lead from the front yard to the side entrance.
A black-stained Western red cedar fence now runs along the perimeter of Sharen McLean and Mark Derraugh’s property in Vancouver, part of a complete revamping of the couple’s outdoor space. The project was spearheaded by Sharen’s daughter, Andrea McLean, whose daughters and nephew make the most of the urban oasis.
The minty green powder bath is a favorite room of the client's. The clear polycarbonate ceiling adds an element of surprise, while imbuing the pocket-sized space with an indoor-outdoor feel that is connected to the polycarbonate to the sunroom in the ADU.
In the main house kitchen, a puffy arched tile mimics the arches in other locations of the house, like the entrance patio of the ADU.
Built-in shelving and integrated storage, like in this wall up the stairs, imbues Mouse House with layers of porosity.
The new, attached ADU is rented out as a passive source of income that is helping Amanda finance the project.
Shin Shin Architecture added a new level that holds the kitchen/dining/living area for the main residence.
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