Atrium

Four-panel sliding doors fully pocket, eliminating any boundaries between the interior and the courtyard. A central fire feature anchors the seating area, referencing the traditional fireplace found in living rooms.

The family room couch is tucked into a nook to create a cozy retreat that still has views past the atrium to the backyard and kitchen.

Although the two-story atrium is smaller than the courtyard, it is no less important to the design. The glazed pocket doors are opened daily, connecting the family room to the rear yard, and framing the sculptural form of the 30-year-old Japanese black pine garden bonsai.

“The atrium is the first place you enter,” says Leidner. “Traditionally, it’s a hardscaped area with some potted plants, but we wanted it to be more like a full garden, right in the middle of the house.”

A pathway winds between a pair of Japanese maples and a myrtle tree that dates to the home’s original construction. The floor-to-ceiling windows and sliders are by Fleetwood.