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Floor plan of Forest Pavilion by Signal Architecture & Research

Tucked into one end of the garage, a potting area is a favorite of Joan, who is an avid gardener and plant lover. The design team used leftover cedar from the ceilings to create the work surface.

Nestled into the trees, the modern home blends with its surroundings, following the site’s contours as if it were another wild thing sprung from the ground.

In the primary bathroom, a simple palette of concrete floors and dark-stained cedar falls to the background, allowing the trees and stumps outside—seen through a purposefully placed window—to take center stage.

Divided into three volumes (plus a garage), the single-level residence incorporates steel and stained and natural cedar. The architectural lines were kept simple and paired with the palette they help the house blend almost seamlessly with the site.

The guest bathroom—one of Leah’s favorite rooms—features a custom walnut vanity, and cement “Bateau Everglade” tile from Zia Tile. “I was a little nervous to go with such a bold patterned tile, but I couldn't be more obsessed with how it turned out,” she says.

While Leah and Kyle initially wanted to fully open up the wall between the kitchen and the living room, discovering that it was load-bearing changed their plans. “We ended up opening the wall up so you could see into the beautiful kitchen, and made a custom hood vent with shelves,” says Leah. “Looking back, I am not sure I even would have wanted it removed now.”

Le Corbusier is famous for his injection of color, as seen on the bright green guardrail above the living area.

The home's extra tall, 12-foot ceilings allow for huge windows facing a canal off the San Francisco Bay.

Landscape architect Margot Jacobs took inspiration from Japanese stone gardens, mixing the design with Californian and Mediterranean plant life.