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While Edwardian timber homes are common in Sandringham, a beachside suburb in Melbourne, this one features a custom rear extension with two gable roofs that house the master bedroom, kitchen, and dining room. The open plan allows the spaces to flow into the yard, which features a new patio with a timber pergola for open-air dining.

“The transparency and continuity of the spaces allows the landscape, the coast, and the sea to be present at all times,” LLaumett says. While most of the home’s furniture was constructed on site, a sofa by The Popular Design sits in the living room.

This circa-1958 Eichler in Silicon Valley makes a mesmerizing first impression with its combination of ipe wood and neon-yellow resin. A garden, courtesy of landscape designer Bernard Trainor, fosters the illusion of more space.

The hardscaping helps keep water use to a minimum. The Lais used gravel—accented by drought-tolerant bamboo—to create their side yard.

In the gravel-lined entry court shaded by a Japanese maple tree, furniture from Beall and Bell—an antique shop in Greenport, New York—mixes with Pendant Globes by Primelite Manufacturing. Bobo pillows by Adler outfit the banquette, and cedar clads the interior of the seating area.

Two converted shipping containers (left) now house offices for Shoup’s design/build firm. “Perhaps the most successful aspect of turning this into a place to live and an office rather than just have this shop space was moving it towards real indoor-outdoor living,” he says. Taya Shoup, a landscape designer, has refined her husband’s vision for the property with a courtyard and plantings. Photo by building Lab inc.

Dollahite tackled landscaping last, installing climate-sensitive plants in metal planters he designed himself.

Weathered wood tempers the gray stucco siding and provides a pleasant refuge in the community garden space.

The living area retains the home's original fireplace and masonry wall, with new sliding doors next to the kitchen that connect to the side yard. The sofa and side chair are from Ariake, the ottoman table from Hem, and the rug is from Hay.

When the casement windows are opened, family members can bask in sunlight while reading a book indoors.

“Watching the sunrise and moonrise from the living room is gobsmacking,” says James.

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.

Harbor Loft | Olson Kundig

Harbor Loft | Olson Kundig

Three elements of the extension were built off-site: the exterior and structural concrete, which includes patterned brickwork, the nonstructural concrete elements (like the kitchen counter and bath), and the balustrade. An arch motif ties together the renovation.

ESCAPE's new line of all-electric tiny homes are finished with white birch flooring, walls, and ceilings. The pale wood tone offers a fresh aesthetic that ties to nature.

The kitchen features its original built-in clock; a Michael Graves Alessi kettle stands on the range.