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Limestone used on the exterior was employed inside as well, creating material continuity on the interior and exterior. Minimalistic bi-folding doors separate the screened porch from the voluminous pine-clad family room.

In 2009 on a quiet Los Angeles corner, Mel Elias found a severely water-damaged, crumbling 5,000-square-foot house hidden behind a tangle of overgrown vegetation. Its former owner, the late Hollywood acting coach Milton Katselas, had filled his property with industrial skylights and enormous, wood-burning fireplaces. The glass-and-concrete construction was framed by high ceilings, rusted steel beams, and varied elevations across the single-story plan. Thanks to an 11-year long, multiphase renovation by designer Carter Bradley, the home—with all of its quirks and character—shines again.

In the kitchen, the countertops are Absolute Black wire-brushed granite from Walker Zanger, the cooktop and hoods are from Viking, the dishwashers are Miele, and the serious coffee setup (Mel is the former CEO of The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf) includes an espresso machine from La Marzocco and grinders by Mazzer. Bradley designed the cherrywood veneer cabinetry, which was made and installed by Marmol Radziner, with a custom piece by Alaco Ladder Company.

In the dining room, under one of six large industrial skylights, one of the massive hearths is ornamented with a single red tile. Though they don’t know why Katselas placed it there, Mel and designer/project manager Carter Bradley turned it into a motif that pops up unexpectedly elsewhere in the house.

The tile on the shower floor is glazed with a texture to give it the feeling of the outdoors underfoot. “The bathroom has a large skylight that makes it feel like an outdoor shower,” Stagno says. “When you are standing in the shower, you look at the tree canopy.”

A basket and pulley system was installed to easily bring items from the first floor to the loft. Shelving showcases pottery and glassware by local artisans: Saltbox Pottery, Campfire Pottery, Andrew Durham, Prescott Hill Pottery and Casco Bay Glassworks.

An oculus-like central skylight hangs overtop the great room.

DeNiord designed a simple concrete bench with a honed top to run parallel to the randomly sized concrete pads that lead to the covered entry. He planted blueberry bushes behind the bench and a river birch tree behind the boulder. To conjure a wabi-sabi feel outdoors, diNiord poured concrete around a boulder. “It represents the interruption of perfect geometry,” he says.

Interior designer Heidi Lachapelle chose unfussy furnishings with clean lines. “Nothing should feel decorative or unnecessary,” she says. “We looked for things that would age beautifully to speak to the wabi-sabi concept.” The oak daybed is by Bautier, the indoor/outdoor rug is by Dash & Albert, and the trapezoidal cushions on the concrete bench nod to similar ones that the wife saw at Georgia O’Keefe’s home and studio. The Scandinavian-inspired fireplace throws heat from two sides.

The fireplace wall introduces one of the home’s strongest vertical material moments, balancing the openness created by the surrounding glass.

“We really tried to diminish the notion of inside and outside,” explains Barnes.

"The homeowner describing that he loved the mossy, fern understory brought the idea to my mind to be up in the trees," says architect Russ Tyson.