Jennifer Fegely

Cork doesn’t absorb water, making it well suited for the backsplash in the bathroom.

One of Gabriele’s splurges was the dining table, which was custom built by Lagranja from sustainably grown beech trees. The stools and pendant light are also from Lagranja. “I love being in the kitchen,” says the avid cook, adding that he’s happy with the project, though he considers it a work in progress. And the kids? “The kids aren’t kids anymore, and they have their own opinions,” he says. “They love the place, but they’d like some more privacy.”

The factory’s dividing walls were removed, leaving a “square doughnut,” as Gabriele puts it—a continuous flow around the central landing. The renovation took just four months. “The whole thing was done with very little cost in materials and time,” he says, “but in the studio we are used to working like that.”

Scala Studio created the kitchen from scratch in the former office space.

“The glass facade and expansive windows create a sense of spaciousness and depth, surpassing the actual living area,” the couple shares. “Privacy is fully maintained, granting us the freedom to revel in a newfound sense of space.”

David reports that the kitchen has accommodated all sorts of cooking challenges, despite its small footprint. "It hasn't prevented us from cooking anything yet."

The dining table iss made out of salvaged wood from David's childhood home. "My parents were remodeling our home and had a pile of old cabinet pieces," he says. "I sanded them down to find beautiful old growth Douglas fir and made our table and cutting board out of it."

Although finding a contractor who could build the project on budget was one of the biggest challenges -- until MR Studio found the right contractor, Uriel Rosales of Delta Development Construction.

A bathtub with breathtaking desert views is tucked into a nook just off the primary bedroom.

The primary bedroom is wrapped in plywood from floor to ceiling.

Jared built many of the home’s furnishings by hand—including the bed frames.

The kitchen opens to a cozy living area located in the shell of the original home.

“It has a public and private feel, which we like.” A French blue table designed by David adds color to the dining area. “It was important to us to have unexpected and whimsical elements in the house,” says Mark. “We didn’t want it to be too serious.”

The below-grade kitchen/dining room opens to a sunken wood porch. Sliding glass doors and an operable awning window from Fleetwood provide natural cross ventilation for cooling. The site is located in a forested area but is “brighter and less sequestered than you’d expect,” says David, thanks to the surrounding Sea Ranch commons.

The house measures approximately 2,500 square feet. Molly, who was born and raised in Taos, says, “Proportionally, it’s a very human scale, and it salutes the unconventional architecture found in local Earthship houses and owner-built homes.” - Taos, New Mexico Dwell Magazine : July / August 2017

The living/dining room occupies a long, high-ceilinged space. The sectional is from CB2. - Taos, New Mexico Dwell Magazine : July / August 2017

Walnut cabinets are paired with Pietra Grey marble on the counters and backsplash. The island stools are by furniture designer Andrew Dominic, while James Mudge fashioned the dining table and chairs, and the light is Arkivio. A display cabinet has fluted glass, in a nod to the home’s original midcentury era.

“We’re always throwing events,” says Paul, so the indoor/outdoor style was a great fit for them.

Photo by Ye Rin Mok

The standing seam metal roofs are made from steel, and the cladding from natural cedar. The siding is darkened with a low-VOC, formaldehyde-free stain: a healthful alternative to more traditional options.

Ground floor plan

The headboard is a custom fabrication from a live oak felled on the property, made by DeVos Custom Woodworking and Jobe Fabrications and in collaboration with JCA. The headboard “brings so much texture and life into this tiny room,” says Corral. Custom steel shelves are poised below, with a sconce from Serena and Lily mounted atop.

Vintage furnishings are scattered throughout the renovation including the casita’s Moroccan rug as well as a sofa and chair covered in linen

The exterior’s concrete walls pick up on the tones of the rocks that emerge from the surrounding hillside.

Floor Plan of Tinyleaf by GO’C

The hot tub is a highlight of the home. “It was worth the investment,” says Kara. “Especially late at night when you can see the stars.”

While the space is heavily insulated, with strong solar gain, a cast-iron stove from Salamander Stoves provides extra warmth on cool days.

The house is completely off grid. It operates on solar panels, wood-fire heat and water from the lake; there’s even a compost sewage system.

For the sake of affordability and durability, the architect employed vinyl flooring for $5,980 throughout the ADU. In the open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, a vaulted ceiling lends a feeling of luxury and spaciousness.

Fir plywood from Freres Lumber joins IKEA cabinets. The figure painting is by Dylan Dean.

The guest bedroom, as well as other parts of the house, have a plywood accent wall. “My family's in the plywood business and they have been making plywood for over a hundred years,” says Holly. “This is not your typical Home Depot plywood. This is really clear with a nice veneer on it. So, we were able to do a special run of plywood that had a really beautiful grain to it, and it adds so much richness to our home.” The sconces are from Cedar & Moss.