20 Homes That Are Habitats

In October of 2017, Northern California suffered a cluster of wildfires that burned for nearly the entire month, causing 44 deaths and destroying 8,900 buildings. Michele and Fred Smith’s longtime home on the slopes of Mount Veeder in Napa County was one of them.

The Smiths were able to safely evacuate, but they lost everything. In the aftermath, the couple, who are retired, had to move five times as they tried to reestablish their lives and decide whether to rebuild. A strong connection to nature was the couple’s topmost priority for the design brief—and they also wanted the project to be small. "Just a modern little cabin," says Boyer—with lots of outdoor space.