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Spanning across the backyard, the cement patio offers an idyllic oasis for private outdoor entertaining.

“Using only wood to form a cabinet results in artistic moments. Diagonals read as decorative, but these strong triangles are necessary when you’re not using plywood,” Caleb says. “It’s pure joy to use the kitchen, knowing that all parts of it are built with meaning and without compromise.

In the first-floor bathroom, the mermaid backsplash Caleb carved plays off the Hygge & West “Mermaid” wallpaper.

With COVID-19 closing down spas and saunas, Chau and Desna decided to bring the experience home. The bedroom features a custom bed built by Beauty and Bread Woodshop in Vancouver and a terrazzo stone freestanding bath tub by France & Son.

The powder room—which features Photowall wallpaper, a glitzy Restoration Hardware chandelier, and a concrete sink—provides an opportunity for glamour.

Adamant about floor-to-ceiling windows but reeling from sticker shock, Chau tapped local fabricators Arnold Iron Works and Strong Tempering Glass to create custom glazing, which proved much more affordable. The glass is reflective on the street side, creating a mirror effect.

An expansive view of the home.

The west patio

The Dwell House is a 540-square-foot, one-bedroom home. It’s built offside and ships turnkey with a full set of kitchen appliances from Bosch, tons of built-in storage, and a ducted mini-split for climate control.

A custom waterfall countertop in the kitchen adds to the home’s sense of serenity and continuity.

Owner Stacey Hill was instantly drawn to this shipping container’s existing blue color and chose to leave it unchanged. Architect Jim Poteet added floor-to-ceiling sliding doors to allow light in, as well as a cantilevered overhang to shade a window on the left side, which houses a small garden storage area.

Private areas (including bedrooms and bathrooms) are located in the shipping container “wings” of the home. The large, open great room features a kitchen and space for living and dining. The layout carefully balances secluded space with open common areas.

Molteni dining chairs are overseen by “someone’s” ancestral portraits.

A wall covered in graphite-colored Ann Sacks tile runs from the kitchen out to the covered porch. Similarly, the sheetrock ceiling and the concrete flooring are extended from inside to outside—a cost-saving measure that provides visual continuity. The Hot Mesh outdoor dining chairs are by Blu Dot.

A custom steel dining table with a walnut insert is surrounded by Eames Molded Plastic side chairs; the hanging fixture is from Tech Lighting.

Sunlight floods the rear of the house through large site-glazed windows. In the living area, the nine-foot ceiling has a grasscloth-covered raised inset.