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Fittingly named the Courtyard House, the residence features a large outdoor space tucked underneath the cantilevered upper level, providing a quiet and shaded area for Lalita to enjoy her coffee breaks. Rotated masonry blocks extend from the courtyard wall to create succulent planters.

9. "Am I willing to sell my home before finding a new one?" “You want to be in the most powerful position possible to purchase your new home, and that entails having your home in escrow with all contingencies removed, or even better, having the money in the bank,” says Hoffman. 10. "Am I ready to find the perfect home on the first or second day of looking?" "If you are working with a highly trained team, then your agent will only show you homes that fit your needs,” she adds. “Finding a home on the first or second day happens half of the time, and it's easier to celebrate if people know this from the start!"

The side patio doubles as a parking spot for a custom-built 1970 Honda CB750.

Homeowner Jay Longtin served as the general contractor and performed the majority of the remodel work, aside from the outdoor floors, concrete, and pool, which were done by Architectural Blue.

Green roofs are aesthetically pleasing and have multiple positive environmental benefits, even if they are small in terms of square footage. Here, a green roof blooms atop the detached garage of a home.

The fire pit area displays a 48-inch concrete fire bowl, woven chairs, and upcycled tree stumps for kid-friendly-seating.

Sphinx, the family Carolina dog, scouts the perimeter of the Concrete Collaborative pavers in the backyard. The pavers were installed on a slight angle to channel water to the surrounding gravel, lawn, and planting beds. This substantially lowers the landscape's water demand. Perforated PVC pipes and a pump move excess rainfall (which would otherwise go to storm drains) into an underground basin where it can later drain off. Redwood fencing reflects the material palette of the interior and creates visual continuity around the backyard.

Bob and Goya walk atop the guesthouse, which nestles into a hill.

Designed by Austin, Texas–based studio Andersson-Wise Architects, the 12,500-square-foot Stone Creek Camp is sited on a sloping hill whose topography guides visitors to discover the grounds slowly: from the gatehouse to the master house, main lodge, and guesthouse. The eco-friendly family retreat features a stacked wood facade that was built from fallen trees found on the site; a sod green roof that provides insulation; and regionally sourced construction materials—including stone, wood, windows, and doors.

Landscape company The Backyard was hired to enhance the outdoor spaces. Voids in the overhanging roof partially frame the mountain in the distance.

Alloi's design solution for the exterior envelope included exterior rigid insulation to reduce solar heat gain, and recycled newspaper blown-in cellulose insulation at interior and exterior walls, creating an energy efficient and peacefully quiet home.

One of the second-level bedrooms looks down to the ground-level courtyard.