Nestled into the trees, the modern home blends with its surroundings, following the site’s contours as if it were another wild thing sprung from the ground.
At the back of the house, an extended steel downspout is positioned over a boulder to create a waterfall every time it rains. Over the years, moss will grow on the stone, further propagating the local plant life.
For the living room, Dovetail’s metal shop fabricated a custom fireplace to go between the Quantum windows. The steel surround is coated in an antique black finish to complement the stained cedar wall.
Inside, bleached oak floors and ceilings frame simple white walls, lending a sense of brightness. In the dining room, a George Nakashima dining set is capped by a pendant light from Apparatus.
After entering through a gate, the home's charred spruce siding presents a somber face.
The primary bedroom includes a reclaimed-wood headboard extending to the ceiling.
At one end of the house is the primary bedroom, which enjoys floor-to-ceiling glass views and its own porch.
Architect Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig envisioned the home slowly disappearing into its landscaped setting, amidst trees and folliage.
The home is entered from a small porch on the lower level, just to the right of a carport created by the steel-reinforced cantilevering form. The lower level is nestled into the hillside.
A cedar-planked hot tub looks out on to the open desert.
Made from MDF and finished-grade plywood, the wall panels are fabricated by Blend Projects at their workshop in Nanaimo, BC. The aluminum-framed windows from Pella are placed to enhance cross ventilation through the home. As seen in the kitchen, skylights and clerestory glazing are added wherever possible.
As a default option, the kitchens come outfitted with Fisher & Paykel appliances and a matte black finish for all the cabinetry pulls and fixtures. The lighting throughout the home is sourced from Graypants, Muuto, A-N-D Light, Barter, and Wesco.
Evoking shou sugi ban, the cedar exterior has a Benjamin Moore Arborcoat stain.
The glass-wlled addition includes a new sitting room and fireplace, with white oak floors and vintage European sofas.
The studio uses Shou Sugi Ban cedar siding, white oak, and local Texas limestone. “In a sense it’s nicer than our home,” says Isaac, referring to the high-quality, natural finishes.
The dining and living space is anchored by a larch timber frame with band-sawn finish, the work of EmanuelHendry.
5. "What are the top 10 most important things I must have in a home?"
"If there are two people buying the home, write your answers down separately, starting with your absolute must-haves," Hoffman explains. “Putting together a list separately can give both parties and the realtor a clear picture of what the perfect home will have for both of you."
Concrete stairs lead up to the multi-level residence, perched atop a large, tree-filled lot.
Redwood is native to California and a sustainable
“To soften the home, we introduced redwood highlights in the courtyard and at the roof decks.,” says McShane Murnane.
Nestled into the hillside, the main home consists of four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms in 2,800 square feet.
A 100-year-old oak shades the front of the house, which is clad in weathering yellow cedar.
Recently retired and ready to downsize, Paul and Melonie Brophy found a lot in Palo Alto that gave them the chance to start fresh. Their glass, concrete, and wood house, designed by Feldman Architecture, seems to float above a landscape by Bernard Trainor. Of the board-formed concrete wall, architect Taisuke Ikegami says, "It connects the building to the ground plane while allowing the house to be a landscape element."
With its shou sugi ban exterior, high-pitched roof and monochrome palette, this family home nods to Japanese design.
Jennifer requested the Japanese-style outdoor soaking tub, but it’s enjoyed by the whole family. It was built by J&K Cedar Works for around $6,500.
Built in 2022, the home features a Cypress and Cedar exterior and flat-lined roof, inspired by modern Balinese architecture.
The bathroom in every Adobu model (two in the Abodu Two+) can be upgraded to include chrome fixtures for $1k and a curbless shower pan for just over $5k.
Adobu's kitchens are equipped with stainless steel appliances. They can be upgraded to a Fisher and Paykel Suite for just under $8k. Concrete pendant lights come at an additional cost of $1.2k. While the default cabinetry is finished in black matte, it can be changed to white matte or wood veneer for $1k.
Abodu managed the build and delivery of the turnkey one-bedroom ADU. “The cost is up-front, transparent, all-inclusive— excluding taxes, fees, and custom site-specific work—and locked in before construction begins,” says cofounder Eric McInerney. The kitchen includes a full suite of Bosch appliances.
Besides coming in Arctic White or Cyberspace (the charcoal grey shown above), the standard fiber cement lap siding is available in three other colors. The model pictured here also showcases a mirrored layout with the entrance situated on the right.
The bedroom is available in all models except for the Abodu Studio. The doorknobs and other fixtures can be changed from a black matte finish to chrome for an extra $1k.
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