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Warwas offset the rear of the ADU to accommodate the power lines running behind the house, and he designed a window in the office/guest room upstairs that meets the roof in the same way that the window off the dining area/kitchen meets the ground.

In the bathroom, large tiles and a freestanding tub create a soothing spa-like feel.

With its shou sugi ban exterior, high-pitched roof and monochrome palette, this family home nods to Japanese design.

Maclean opted to wrap the building in zincalume corrugate, or corrugated iron. “Dunedin is not the sunniest spot in the world. It rains a lot,” says Maclean. “So, having something that sort-of shimmed in the bush was quite attractive, rather than it being dark and stealth or another color that mimicked greenery.”

Pine plywood grown in New Zealand covers the interior. “It’s quite economical and also quite warm,” says Maclean. “I find the patterns on it quite interesting to look at.”

The hot tub is a highlight of the home. “It was worth the investment,” says Kara. “Especially late at night when you can see the stars.”

On choosing the dining table and chairs from Ikea ($1700) Kara had a moment of: “Are orange chairs too much? But I had a dream about it that night, so I was like, no, it's not too much,” says Kara. The rhubarb print is a commission from Soft Side Prints for $800. “That ties back to our time living in Copenhagen,” says Kara. “The Danes will never admit this, but they love rhubarb."

The flooring are custom green vinyl floor tiles ($800) from Etsy shop Marzipan Days, installed over the existing floor and sealed, while the wallpaper is the exact pattern that Kara admired in Quebec City coffee shop two years ago, bought on sale from Anthropologie for $700.

The firm’s founder and principal architect Sumiou Mizumoto stripped away the house’s side extension.

In traditional Japanese architecture, spaces are divided into "tsubos," a Japanese unit of floor area that’s the equivalent to approximately 35.58 square feet.

A 1000xBetter removed the wrought iron and striped awning, and covered the façade in wood, leaving the distinct midcentury elements intact.

In the bathroom, the vanity is wrapped with the slatted white oak detail and topped with quartzite. Engineered terrazzo tile covers the floor.