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The renovation honored the history of the property, and kept the exterior mostly as is.

Custom-built L-Shaped sofas are upholstered in Pindler exclusive fabrics. Throw blankets add an extra layer of warmth and coziness.

"Curled into a natural amphitheatre, this gentle timber house turns to face the sun rather than the sea. Responding to the landform, its simple semicircle creates north-facing spaces sheltered from onshore winds. One corner braves the sea cliff, facing the salt and spray, but most of the house is surrounded by bush and orients towards a small valley—the ocean all the more present for being ignored formally."

The design team retained the old supports, which now frame the kitchen. Jessica picked DeVol cabinets and systems for their traditional-meets-streamlined style.

The ceiling drops down significantly over the built-in bench in the living area to create a cozy nook. “Like the kitchen, it’s a space within a space,” Thomas says. The wooden boards are flush with the window frame, allowing the sun to wash down the wall.

The Franklin stove adds an authentic touch to the updated cabin.

Thompson, a founding principal of Assembledge+, had recently participated in a Los Angeles Magazine project to imagine solutions for those who lack housing in the city. Their notion was for public agencies to subsidize building ADUs in backyards along alleyways, dovetailing with existing alley revitalization initiatives

A detached garage and guesthouse/studio creates a buffer between a busy street and the rest of the property, which includes the main house as well as a pool, sauna, and pond, so that life in the residence can feel more private and secluded.

The ADU is sited behind the home of two T+E+A+M members, architectural designer Adam Fure and architect Ellie Abrons.

A tile floor in the foyer offsets the warm tones of the house.

In October 2017, the catastrophic Nuns fire incinerated the ’70s-era A-frame in Napa County, California, that had served as a family retreat for 20 years and that the owners, who are mostly retired, were in the process of turning into their permanent home. (When the fire hit, the couple had already brought nearly all their family keepsakes and heirlooms, making the loss especially poignant.) Working with architectural designer Brandon Jørgensen, the couple turned the loss into a chance to build what is now their permanent home with fire resistance baked into the design.

The home’s exterior features Trespa Meteon panels, a durable and sustainable high-pressure laminate cladding. By design, expanses of glass reflect the surroundings where the home is placed.

Issey Kobori and Trinity Mouzon.