design dwell

The 1950 Eichler home in Palo Alto, California, that Ogawa Fisher Architects renovated for a family of five features a cool gray facade punctuated by a bright orange front door.

A small storage area is tucked beneath the stairs and concealed by the slat installation.

Inside, Jes opted for a stripped-back look reflective of New York lofts. On the ground floor, wide-plank wood flooring from Austria sets the stage for restrained furnishings, including a white Molded Task armchair by Charles and Ray Eames from Herman Miller.

More than 60 plant species were used in the layered design.

A sliding door in the couple’s bedroom is one of several in the home, allowing for easy transitions from privacy to openness. “This house is a connected house, much more so than the first one,” says Kyu Sung.

The living space has a Hästens bed that can fold away during parties, a dining table and chairs by Alvar Aalto, and track lighting in the apartment’s signature orange.

The trees here “hug the building,” says Fritz. A Sycamore sits next to the house, providing shade for the patio in the summertime.

A small backyard camper makes for a fun hideaway when friends and family come to visit.

The stairs lead to a loft with a bed for visiting guests.

"The floor is oak from Tongue and Groove, and the cabinetry is actually a polytech product that's really practical, especially for kitchens because it's harder to damage than veneer,

The kitchen is customized for Roberta, an avid cook. Easy-to-reach pots hang from a custom rack by Bjørn Design. Its hooks can be lengthened if she has to reach from a wheelchair someday; a lowered counter where she likes to work, read, and play cards can accommodate a wheelchair, should she need one. Oak veneers for the ceilings, floors, and cabinetry were a splurge, but Roberta loves their warmth and texture.

Glass folding doors from Panoramic Doors reach nine-and-a-half feet high to open the kitchen to the courtyard. “It's such a unique feature, especially in Brooklyn,” says Slocum. “You rarely ever see that type of thing.”

To make sure that the kitchen would be flooded with natural light, a skylight was inserted. "Ellen Wu, the project lead, came up with a fun detail: We exposed the roof framing to keep a wood element in the ceiling," explains Boyer. The backsplash tiles are the Dwell Pattern Little Diamond Mix from Heath Ceramics.