House Details

The back of the property as seen from the rear alley. The pink colored structure is an existing single car garage which will be deconstructed at the same time as the cottage.

The addition, which was built offsite save for the sliding glass door system, includes an outdoor shower and a 500-square-foot covered loggia.

A door leads out from the romantic courtyard, lush with plants. “Although we live in a big city, it doesn’t feel like it,” Kolasiński says. “The neighborhood and the nature are very relaxing and quiet.”

Gray-purple iron railings, a fuchsia and green wooden entry, and garage doors provide contrast to the white walls of this Santa Barbara home. Photo by Steven Holmes.

Yumi (left) and Maya (right) cheese around on the steps leading into the front door. Inside, there is ample space for removing and leaving one's shoes, another Japanese element.

The front entrance is located next to the garage.

“There was too much visual pollution disturbing the simplicity. The goal was to allow the existing buildings to work within a totally new program, each still distinguishable by its own destiny.” —Architect Bart Len

In addition to blurring the line between house and garden, the extension’s frameless glass wall fully surrounds the dining area. An antique Tibetan console contrasts with the dining area’s modern furnishings, providing a welcome touch of color and texture.

Separating the living room from a smaller seating area is a polished concrete courtyard that can be used for quiet reading or shaded play on hot days. “[It] has become the focus of family life,” Trimble says.