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The kitchen island, which is from Reform, is accented with custom bar stools.

They selected panel-ready appliances from Fisher and Pico for a modern, slick look. Carlos was also adamant on opting for an induction cooktop: “I'm sorry to all the people who consider themselves home chefs, but I'm a big fan of induction. I cook quesadillas and scrambled eggs. I'm not making beef bourguignon,” says Carlos. "My friends have all these beautiful six-burner Viking stoves and it's like everything falls into the stove. Cleaning it is a nightmare. I'm all about efficiency. So I just finish cooking, spray it down, move on, and it looks great.”

“The client wanted an interior space where you could read the materiality of the building elements like understanding the ingredients in a recipe,” principal architect Elizabeth Webster explains. The extension features distinctly textured materials: an exposed timber ceiling, painted brick walls, and polished concrete floors. Warm lighting by Brinklicht unifies the space.

Remo and Emi started with a feeling—calm, cozy, and simple—and went from there, outfitting the space with white limewash paint, maple plywood built-ins, and green textiles and tile.

Of the $11,300 spent on the doors and windows in the main house, $6,000 was dedicated to the large sliding glass door on the second floor, which opens the living spaces to a bright, welcoming patio.

Shin Shin Architecture added a new level that holds the kitchen/dining/living area for the main residence.

A wall of built-in storage cubbies, shelving, and a bench anchors the bright white-painted bedroom, which features a walk-in closet.

Floor plan of Two Square ADU by Shin Shin

Kitchen

The ADU's kitchenette is tucked into one side of the structure, with a ladder leading to a carpeted playroom for the kids. "It's a great example of a family home that doesn't always look like it,

"We worked closely with the chef of the family, Mike, to fine tune the requirements for adjacency, surfaces, and lighting,

"This is my favorite space," Melissa says of their bedroom. "I spend a lot of time in our bedroom reading or watching the kids play outside. It is very cozy and peaceful." Brian built a playhouse for the kids, which his daughter uses as an art studio.

A set of French doors serves as the entryway to the home, which opens onto a flagstone patio where the family entertains.