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The new prefab unit is located just a few meters from the main home—a thatched-roof cottage that dates back to the 1950s. “The dark color of the cladding blends into the dark hedges in the garden, so the unit doesn’t attract too much attention,” says Vriesema.

The backsplash tile in the kitchen is Clé Tile. The ceramic dishware is by Julie Cloutier, who also made several ceramic pieces scattered throughout the home.

The home’s single bathroom contains a vanity and mirror fabricated from old-growth redwood. The sink is cast concrete, and the faucet is from California Faucets. The inset wall shelf features a Japanese gouge texture done by Nick.

The kitchen cabinetry is marine plywood that was carefully grain matched; the grain flows across the elevation of each door in a cohesive pattern. “All of the millwork is scribed and there is not a single bead of caulk in the whole project,” says Nick. “We also don’t have any fasteners showing anywhere.”

Sliding glass doors connect the indoor living space to the deck.

Villa Van Vijven cuts a truly remarkable figure, a striking orange figure on the otherwise flat green landscape.

Despite the communal nature of their living arrangement, the residents of Villa Van Vijven, like Miriam Dochter, maintain that they still lead very independent, private lives.

The custom kitchen bench and dining table "felt like a splurge

Carpenter poses outside his house, which is shoehorned into a tiny nonconforming lot among a block’s worth of older row houses and a derelict public park.

Eighteen insulated concrete panels, each a different size and shape, were trucked to the site and hoisted into place over three days. The outlines of eight of these panels can be seen when the house is viewed from the southwest.

Encourage your imaginative niece, nephew, neighbor, sibling, or child to grow their creativity and curiosity with these fun-filled gifts.

The owners were looking to add a functional mudroom which would include lots of storage.

West Facade

All the experts agree that it is important for children to have a designated workspace.

A narrow garden and climbing ivy soften and brighten the house’s blank front facade.

With windows looking out onto the second-story courtyard, the laundry/bathroom area has a custom-made and a picturesque view.