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The sofa and side table are from West Elm. The pillow is adorned with a stylized sun that Girard created for the New York restaurant La Fonda del Sol.

A Michigan couple find out they own the last of a little-known, thought-to-be-extinct breed—a midcentury modern house by Alexander Girard.

Jason and Laura Miller-Smith tapped Cover Architecture and EEK Studio to update their Buff and Hensman midcentury home with custom casework, ribbed glass, and a grand fireplace while staying true to the original plans.

The living room is furnished with an Eames lounge and ottoman and a Line credenza by Nathan Yong. The fireplace, also painted by the last owner, is Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore.

David likes to cook and entertain so the architects designed a full-scale kitchen with Forbo Marmoleum flooring, white oak cabinets, ceramic tile backsplash, and Richlite counters.

The new kitchen features green kit kat tiles, a terrazzo-effect rubber floor, white cabinetry, and cherry wood veneered cabinets. The client originally wanted teak cabinets, but 4 S Architecture recommended using cherry wood instead as it is more sustainable but has the same warm tones as teak. “We couldn’t get behind teak as a product so we used FSC certified European cherry that has less air miles than American cherry,” explains architect Julia Hamson. “The client was really pleased with the result.”

The elaborate pocket door was carved by David with a CNC machine.

Floor Plan of Spellman/Larsdotter Residence by Sean W. Spellman

Much of the furniture in their home is secondhand, either thrifted, found roadside, or gifted by friends.

Their two-bedroom unit is upstairs, and an art and music studio occupies part of the lower level. In warmer months, the family spends most of their time outside, often around a firepit Sean built from stones he found in the backyard.

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.

The original fir floors were patched and refinished. Holly fell in love with an Italian marmoleum that Matthew installed in the kitchen. The fireplace artwork is from Holly's grandmother. Says Matthew: “It's a pastel drawing by Kay deGreef, an artist whose main gig was painting Hallmark cards.”

In Hanna Bui’s Sausalito houseboat, designed by architect Craig Steely, sea creatures seen through an enormous back window animate bay views.

His collection of midcentury modern furniture—including an Eames Contract Table, molded Eames chairs, and chairs by Arne Jacobsen and Jørgen Rasmussen—found a home in the loft’s shared living/dining space.