exterior

The rusting steel is an important part of the house’s patina, Campbell says. “We appreciate materials in the raw,” he adds. “The tables aren’t stained; the steel isn’t painted. The materials are what they are.”

Populus, opened in October 2024, was designed by award-winning firm Studio Gang and developed by Urban Villages.

The house is just a frame. The art is outside. You want to create as little distraction inside so your eyes are drawn outside."

Partially hidden from the main driveway, the cottage is accessed by a meandering stone path—you can't drive a car up to it. "It's not conventionally convenient,

The glass-walled ground level has an open layout that includes a kitchen and dining area, a living space, and a home office that can be closed off from the rest with hidden sliding doors. The central structure holds the staircase and a powder room.

One of the side patios on the perimeter of the house features a mix of potted plants and newly planted trees, such as the denuded linden tree in the foreground.

Nestled in a forested spot in Oakland Hills, this house—victim to a tragic fire in 2017—was rebuilt as a bright, serene retreat. At first, the homeowner wasn't sure if she wanted to keep the ruined house or sell, but ultimately her love for the property won out and she stayed.

In theory the renovated home is designed for entertaining, however at the moment the couple are so busy with their respective careers that the home hasn’t hosted many parties as of late: “We’re kicking ourselves all the time for not being more social,” says Steph. “That’s a goal of ours.”

The terrace attached to the primary bedroom overlooks the home's fenced-in backyard.