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In the dining room, Guillerme et Chambron armchairs from Maison Gerard surround a CB2 table. The ceiling light is by Lambert & Fils. In the kitchen, rich blue cabinetry with wood details from GD Arredamenti is topped with a Caesarstone “Aire Concrete” counter. The gold artwork is by Joyce Billet.

Studio Becker Xu streamlined the kitchen by building all of the appliances into the millwork. The budget-friendly countertops are a Formica solid surface.

A skylight was added to bring in more light, and the existing ceilings painted Benjamin Moore ‘Black Tar’ for contrast. The island pendant is the Schoolhouse Ray 17” Pendant and the stools are the Artek Aalto High Chair K65.

Caroline found the backsplash tile at Los Azulejos in Tecate, MX, while she was on a scouting trip for work. She texted Joel a photo: “He was like, ‘I don’t know, it looks a little terrazzo-y,’” says Caroline with a laugh. “But it turned out to be subtle enough.” The team actually had to install the backsplash twice because the first time, the red grout stained the tile surface. Joel and Caroline drove back to Mexico to purchase a second batch, with which they used white grout.

The dropped ceiling is old-growth fir that was discovered under plaster during the demolition phase of the project, and was repurposed for interior finishes. The custom island prep table is by Vintage Mill Werks, with Hay stools.

The team used their office kitchen reno to explore bringing mixed materials together in a cohesive fashion.

The new kitchen is a vibrant mix of vintage-inspired and modern, featuring warm maple, bold pops of color, and stainless steel.

In the living room, a wood stove keeps temperatures cozy. The artwork (of the ill-fated St. Francis Dam and reservoir) is by Al Stone, as is the built-in stove platform and bench seat. The sofa is from Blu Dot, the vintage Risom Lounge Chairs from Knoll and pillows by Kiriko Made.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing and a linear skylight help welcome the landscape within the cabin’s small footprint.

The pool's long, rectangular shape mimics the verticality of the main living structure just beyond.

Almo Troup repurposed nearly all of the materials from a tumbledown shack to create a dreamy, minimalist workspace in his backyard.

Despite its small footprint, the flexible, multi-purpose space includes bike storage and a niche for storing weights.

“We definitely wanted to preserve the character of the home and make sure that it always fits the neighborhood,” says designer Jenny Bassett. To that end, the team kept the front façade intact, only repainting and adding new landscaping. The fireplace in the living room was also retained, so wood is stored in the front yard for easy access.

The house was designed to minimally interfere with the hilltop vegetation, which is what attracted the family to the site.

The ceiling and built-in storage wall in the bedroom are fabricated from American white oak, while the opposite wall and floor has the same grayish-white tone found in the rest of the apartment.

The cottage is located on a site just over an hour from Gothenburg and two-and-a-half hours from Oslo, Bohuslän was the ideal location. “We immediately fell in love with the slightly hilly site and its location along a narrow dirt road with cows grazing on the other side,” says Helena. “Until then, I had never thought of building a summer house but when we got the chance, we just had to take it. Especially when my old friend Susanna said she could design a house for us.”