Pretty Nice

View of Courtyard and Front of Yoga Studio

Australian firm Nest Architects drew inspiration from Palm Springs minimalism, California-style bungalows, and Australia's Queenslander homes.

After: The Front Porch

Wire fox terrier on guard at the raised wood deck and bedroom beyond

The lounge deck at the rear yard of Sunset Hills Residence features a swimming pool surrounded by lush gardens. Architect Hsu McCullough's design beautifully merges minimalism with an abundance of nature.

New modern fence and edible gardens

The backyard—formerly full of unkept grass and invasive scrub—now features a flagstone patio with a portable fire feature. Here, the homeowner likes to gather with her family on warm summer evenings. A new fence provides privacy without impeding lake views.

Designer Irina Kromayer highlights a few decor items and fixtures to help you recreate the look she crafted for the interiors of Berlin’s Hotel Château Royal at home.

The stairwell and custom couch are integrated to make the most of the modest footprint. The couch, also designed by JaegerSloan Studio, is built in two separate pieces allowing one piece to rotate to create a queen-sized bed with the stairway serving as a headboard.

With its sloped Douglas fir ceiling, expansive glass, and elm built-ins crafted by Wolf Melian, the upstairs study resembles a Crestwood Hills classic. Case Study sofas that double as guest beds meet the client’s request for convertible space. The rug from Amadi Carpets, pillows sewn from vintage Swedish fabric, and painting by Sylvan Lionni inject red into the earthy palette.

In the kitchen, Peter created a small built-in table and two seats; anchored to the wall with stainless steel brackets, they can hold up to 330 pounds and fold down when not in use. He also designed all the cabinetry and shelving, and selected Terra Cubo porcelain tile by Marca Corona from Garden State Tile for the floor. New York, New York Dwell Magazine : November / December 2017

Original wood beams and the brick wall are the surviving hallmarks of the previous apartment. The space now contains three bedrooms instead of the original two. The brick wall is the spine of the apartment; all rooms radiate from it. New York, New York Dwell Magazine : November / December 2017

There’s a one-foot level change down to the primary bedroom, which is Shaker in spirit. Instead of closets, each bedroom has a set of deep, built-in drawers. “The architects kept us to our word that the house is meant for short-term stays,” the husband says. Lachapelle sourced the Ethnicraft bed and side table from Fiore Home in Portland, Maine, and the vintage velvet Ligne Roset chair from the Brimfield Antique Market.

The kitchen, located behind the stairs and underneath Max’s bedroom, is all electric, with two burners, a rice cooker, a slow cooker, and a toaster oven. Max added industrial shelving and a butcher block. “Vertical storage,” he notes, “is very important.”

The revamped kitchen includes custom oak cabinets, quartz countertops and an H.D. Buttercup Lounge Chair as an accent.

The cozy living area features a refurbished Børge Mogensen chair and a Recover sofa from Bolia. The coffee table was sourced from Jotex.

The kitchen is stocked with cooking and baking essentials like a KitchenAid mixer, Nespresso machine, Kinto pour-over setup, Joule sous-vide, and handmade ceramics.

Careful planning allowed for the use of mass-produced cabinetry while still achieving a built-in look. A magnetic door holding art helps conceal the pre-existing electrical panel. Concealed LED lighting in the floating shelves illuminates both the work surface and the glassware.

Open birch plywood shelving creates a display space for designer cookware, ceramics, and glassware. Concealed LED lighting provides countertop task lighting and the illumination of dishware and pantry staples.

The custom couch and stairwell were integrated to make the most of the modest space. The ceiling was opened up to expose the original joists and provide as much additional height as possible.

An insulated, freestanding tub with a picture window onto the forest is the main feature of the bathroom, which also incorporates the same materials used throughout the space–birch plywood, white concrete, and shiplap.

Photo courtesy of Cabin Anna

Here are a few questions Smirke recommends asking: When is a permit required? Will you need to submit plans for your renovation project? Were there un-permitted improvements made to the property? If so, what will be required upon inspection? Are there new fire, energy, and safety requirements that will need to be met to meet current building codes?

The previous owners used the residence as a vacation home. The husband was an avid painter and photographer who used the garage as a dark room, which meant there was already plumbing installed when Brian decided to convert the space into a casita.

The primary bathroom is accented with pendant lamps by Schoolhouse, a vintage wooden stool, and custom oak cabinetry with a travertine top.

A Hans Wagner Rope Chair, West Elm credenza, and Noguchi Akari UF3-DL Standing Lamp round out the primary bedroom.

“With the weather being so extremely hot, but then to have it be so cool inside thanks to the concrete floors and, at the same time to have warm surfaces like the sofa, beds, or linens, I think that contrast is really nice and inviting,” explains Brian.

In the primary bedroom, SchoolHouse Electric Reading Lamps, custom Sisal rugs, and tousled linen bedding create warmth and neutral texture.

An H.D. Buttercup Lounge Chair, George Nelson Bench, and Noguchi 1A Table Lamp sit just off the kitchen.

The dining space features the Gather Table and Salt Chairs, both by Design Within Reach, a Noguchi Akari 75A ceiling lamp, and a framed Raf Simons blanket that doubles as unexpected artwork.

The white sectional is by ABC Carpet & Home. It’s surrounded by a custom Sisal rug, a concrete coffee table by CB2, and a vintage wooden bench sourced from Found Object.