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Mid-century modern home surrounded by nature

“The darker, midnight blue exterior paint color was used on all of the existing building elements to create more of a dynamic contrast with the new structure, which was painted white," says Ryan. Tomatoes, little gem lettuce, green beans, a tobacco plant, and a few strawberry bushes (tended by the kids) grow in the courtyard.

"One visit over the winter, and we drove up to find four feet of snow covering the driveway and stairs down to the cabin,

Sometimes all it takes is a little luck. For a young married couple, it came in the form of this rare find: a 19th-century, three-story, single-family home in the heart of Paris. The building was a charmer with good bones, but was in need of some serious care. In a vibrant retrofit by architect Pierre-Louis Gerlier that includes structural reinforcements, the reimagined design is set off with a new floor plan. The lower level now serves as a space for the couple’s children, with the public areas—including an open-plan living/dining room and kitchen—on the floor above. Upstairs, the attic has been transformed into a very large primary bedroom with a green-and-white bathroom suite. The living room (pictured) showcases the firm’s bespoke carpentry work with a beautiful, mossy-green built-in bookcase that frames a new fireplace, and a staircase surrounded by arched doorways that hold hidden storage. “We created visual breakthroughs in order to connect the different spaces,” says Gerlier. “The rounded arches are there to help magnify these moments.”

Architect Jiri Lev’s home is a prototype for forward-looking architecture that could make a positive societal impact in Australia.

The gable cabin they designed and built themselves is tiny by every measure—roughly 193 square feet on the ground floor. But as compact as it is, every space has a use: floor-to-ceiling cabinets store household items and clothing; a breakfast table pulls out from the wall; the cooking area features a full stove; and a loft above the kitchen houses a king-size bed. To bring in light, they used polycarbonate panels to create large front doors and paneling in the loft that frames a window.

The refurbished entry doubles as a bar space. Nearby, a former bedroom was converted into an office for Drake.

The light-filled living room is anchored by a broad stone fireplace, original to the home.

Set behind the couple’s Silver Lake home, the two-story structure has a crisp white board–and–batten exterior.

"We have six backyard chickens: Sesame, Dumpling, Cutlet, Jerk, Biscuit, and Travis — a rescue hen that came with the unlikely name,

Studio + Workshop Space

Firewood Storage

Studio Entry Court

The new, attached ADU is rented out as a passive source of income that is helping Amanda finance the project.

Marita painted the kitchen floor in a checked pattern, and added Rifle Paper Co “Peacock Wallpaper” in Emerald to go with the kitchen cabinets painted Benjamin Moore "Forest Green.