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The redesign lifted the roof plane to increase the height of what had been merely seven-foot-high ceilings.

Both the cabinets and wall panelling are done in birch plywood.

After: Inspired by the Murano light fixture hanging over the table, the architects opted for custom-patterned ceiling millwork in the dining room.

The lower-level bathroom enjoys a door to the outdoors so the family can enter directly after surfing. Green Emser tiles are arranged in a unique alternating pattern, and the shower floor is from Concrete Collaborative.

A vegetable garden is on top of the structure. Placing the garden up a flight of stairs—the form of which shapes one of the house’s openings— protects its plantings from hungry fauna.

The balustrade's splayed spindles offer a playful counterpoint to the rigidity of the exposed wood structure. "As you move around the building, the relationship between the spindles creates a sort of dancing movement as light and shadows play off the wood,

Chuch Estudio cofounder Aranza García seeks to price some of her pieces more affordably. “I want my friends and family to be able to have my things,” she says.

The oak flooring creates a clean backdrop for the rest of the interior scheme, which celebrates layered textures, vibrant splashes of color, and sumptuous textiles. In the sitting room, emerald green walls and oak paneling set the scene for luxury living.

Madison points out that the pod concept would make it easy to add an extension if necessary. “We see it as a house that can grow with us—and that we can pay for as we go along.”

“We knew it would be a place for art, music, and conversation—something that went beyond shelter,” says Julie. Designer Michael Kao’s first priority was to bring light to the ground floor.

Sculptural-yet-soft furniture picks in the living room complement the new arched motif throughout.

The arched motif was repeated in the new cabinet pulls, designed by Brit and fabricated by Derek out of white oak ($179). The counters are a terrazzo lookalike, the Blanco Terrazzo Solid Surfacing countertops from Formica, that the couple templated and installed themselves ($2,110). "I love the look of the solid surface countertops because I really wanted terrazzo, but it was just not in the budget to go that route," says Brit.

A designer and her partner drywalled and plastered an arched motif in the main living area. The curved walls create separation between the open living spaces.

In the living area, existing built-in seating is complemented by Mies van der Rohe lounge chairs and custom coffee tables by Michael James Moran.

The steel-and-glass wrapped 300-square-foot tiny house that Fritz Tiny Homes designed for Refuge Bay Luxury Camping eco resort in Alberta, Canada, connects to its wooded landscape, providing a feeling of being outdoors while relaxing on the interior.

A wood shutter closes the shower to the outdoors when guests want a feeling of privacy.

Light and air move freely from the front to the back of the level shared by the main bedroom, a walk-in closet and a large bathroom. This three-story building has two guest bedrooms on the next floor and a walled terrace on the roof.

joinery throughout is crafted from black, moisture-resistant MDF. “We used this as a counterpoint to the rimu lining boards, but it has texture and depth as well,” says architect William Samuels. “It was also an affordable and straightforward way for us to build our own kitchen and cabinetry.”