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Deep exterior overhangs help to prevent solar heat gain, keeping the tiny house cool and comfortable.

As part of the renovation, they extended the rear of the bottom two floors—their apartment—by 10 feet. The extension not only gave the couple more room but also created a terrace for their tenants above.

The kitchen and dining space lead to a sunken lounge anchored by a fireplace built with stone from Sydney-based provider Eco Outdoor. Art by Bobby Clark hangs above a sofa from HK Living accented with pillows from Città Design. The rugs are from Armadillo & Co.

Floor Plan of Gawthorne’s Hut

When architects Thomas Karsten and Alexandra Erhard toured the raw industrial space, they were struck by how much light streamed in, a gift bestowed by large windows and the rare presence of a private patio.

In a lightweight counterpoint to the preserved stone columns, the staircase is composed of floating wood tread and handcrafted metal spindles, fabricated by a local blacksmith.

The house faces the east, so in the evening, sunsets can be enjoyed from the roof terrace but the view of the city below is visible from nearly every room in the house.

The designers raised the floor in the sunken den and painted the dated paneling Cotton Balls by Benjamin Moore. “We hardly ever used that space, and now we’re in there all the time,” says John. The credenza is a vintage find from Sunset Bazaar, while the Blok horizontal sconce is from WAC Lighting.

The original low-ceilinged living space.

An archway separates the main living space from the rest of the ground floor.

Thanks to its central location, the home offers easy access to a number of popular sites, including a communal pool and park. Stockholm’s outer archipelago is also in close proximity.

In Sunnyvale, California, architect Ryan Leidner cracked open a 1962 Eichler with a crisp remodel flush with foliage. He replaced the home’s vertical plywood facade with one-inch strips of American red cedar set at two depths. The rhythmic slats conceal a garage door that swings open on a hidden hinge. At the entryway, two massive panes of frosted glass shimmer with light and shadow from the atrium inside. Homeowners Isabelle Olsson and Matthaeus Krenn stand out front.

At the entryway, two massive panes of frosted glass shimmer with light and shadow from the atrium inside.

A screen divides an entry porch from the first of several private courtyards and outdoor areas. The home is clad in ebony-stained cedar siding, which contrasts with mahogany casework.

The new, stepped decks run the length of the house, visually and physically connecting both sides of the building.

"In some ways the strongest attributes of the house are probably the outside spaces,” says Court. The original cedar deck was replaced with Kebony decking that wraps around a century-old cherry tree. A pair of Andy rockers from Mamagreen face an ottoman by Kenneth Cobonpue. The accordion doors are a NanaWall SL-60 system that allows the main room of the guesthouse to open completely to the deck.

Before: The kitchen was separated from the rest of the space behind a wall.