Backdrop’s After Hours, a soft charcoal hue, gives Carlos Naude and Whitney Brown’s home in Woodland Hills, California, sleek curb appeal. Lund Sconces by Kuzco Lighting punctuate the exterior, and the streamlined garage doors are by Amarr.
The airy chef's kitchen features long countertops, new appliances, and custom cabinetry.
Natural light sweeps across the main living areas, complementing the wooden accents.
The historic brick home sits on a lush green lawn, peppered with soaring trees and low-maintenance landscaping. Glazed walls allow the backyard to be seen from the main entry.
Designed by architect Richard Crowther, this 1957 home features handcrafted woodwork and floor-to-ceiling glazing from front to back.
Sheffield Residence by Of Possible
"We didn't want to put a lot of furniture out there," says Terry of the east terrace, adding that they sometimes bring the dining table outside for meals. "You can make it work with whatever you want."
The large, east-facing terrace has a hanging fireplace and ample room for seating. The space has the same proportions as the adjacent living room to blend the inside with the outside.
"It doesn't feel like it's propped in the air," says Appel.
In order for the home to have a basement, it's raised 18 inches off the ground, but Appel's "design trick" of gently grading the land so water runs away from the home makes it feel connected to the ground.
The living and dining rooms have custom built-in cabinetry by Alula Woodworks.
In addition to the master bedroom, there are two guest rooms that are "adequate [in size] but not huge," says homeowner Terry Cruikshank. "We wanted to focus on usable space. When people come to visit, we didn't think they would want to just spend their time in the bedroom."
The owners did not want window treatments that would obscure the views, so motorized privacy shades and insect screens were installed on the exterior. The polished concrete floor slab helps cool the home in the summer and retain heat in the winter.
Throughout the home, floor-to-ceiling windows and doors frame views and allow for indoor/outdoor living.
The exterior features Western red cedar siding and a standing-seam metal roof. The home is engineered to meet Passive House standards, with Makrowin Passive House Certified
windows and blown mineral wool and cellulose insulation.
Surrounded by an apple orchard, an evergreen grove, and gardens originally tended by the owners’ parents, Sheffield Residence keeps family memories alive.
The back deck features an outdoor shower designed by Scott. Made of stainless steel and brass components, it uses a garden watering nozzle for the shower and foot-wash heads.
The master bedroom is furnished with a rug from IKEA and a Mysa bedframe from Chilton Furniture Co.
"The house is designed to change with the family's needs and weather with the elements,
A wood stove by Stûv faces Mathias sofas from West Elm in the living area.
“We pulled apart one volume and staggered it along the buildable area of the property,” says architect Matthew Ahlberg of Portland firm Barrett Made. The home is clad in unfinished cedar, meant to weather over time.
The interior is lined almost entirely in birch plywood panels.
Reflecting the diversity of the Maine forest, the kitchen island and floors are maple and the stools are oak. A colorful painting by Jenny Prinn provides contrast.
Family members have their own areas in the mudroom. Each is equipped with a hanging basket and a repurposed teak shower mat.
A breezeway complete with swings connects the front and back decks. “We knew we wanted a covered entry, but we left it open to create a larger outdoor space,” says Scott, who admits to occasionally using the swings himself. Mud guards are built into the Kebony decking to keep dirt from being tracked inside. The teak chairs are by Skagerak.
Built on a shale ridge with a 35-foot drop-off, Scott and Julie Pelletier’s house in Maine comprises a succession of simple gables.
Jari and Anna furnished their patio and backyard with pieces from their furniture line, Skargaarden.
Openings in the ceiling allow sunlight to wash over the black slate floors and fir columns. A velvet-upholstered Mr. Chair by George Mulhauser adds color to the living room.
A small attic loft was tucked above the second bedroom, so Claudia and Ivan's kids could bring their friends.