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Polished concrete floors and pale clay plaster on the walls were used throughout the kitchen and living spaces.

Nikki and her mom can enjoy one another's company in the kitchen after a short walk across the garden.

Since moving in three years ago, the family has adapted to the smaller size of the home, especially as the children have become teenagers. “There's a shed outside that was for our gardening tools and surf boards and stuff, and we've just converted that into a living room for them,” says Maclean.

The children’s bedrooms are side-by-side, with a shared playroom/study outside of the doors.

The kitchen cabinets are Birch plywood with medium-pressure laminate, and part of a cabinetry package for the house that amounted to $82,000 NZD, or $55,218 USD. The counters and backsplash are stainless-steel. The kitchen is a favorite spot for the architect. “We do a lot of cooking. We really enjoy our food. So, the practicalities of how the kitchen works is really key, with the nooks and crannies where we can put all our stuff,” says Maclean. Open cubbies keep tools and cookbooks close at hand.

Pine plywood grown in New Zealand covers the interior. “It’s quite economical and also quite warm,” says Maclean. “I find the patterns on it quite interesting to look at.”

The rectangular form of the tiny homes feature a steel roof that offers durability.

Kele Dobrinski and Christina Valencia, of Sacramento, California-based Colossus Mfg., revamped a 2008 Starstream Starcraft camper that allows their family of five to comfortably explore nature in different landscapes for weeks at a time.

The main living-dining area look on the lake side, above the boat dock and railings, with room for a small outdoor deck. The sliding glass doors also help naturally ventilate the space.

The home’s exterior siding is made of a combination of blue-gray shiplap cedar and gray cement board.

An original stone fireplace complements built-ins designed by Neutra, including multiple shelving units and a sofa system with a record player and concealed speakers.

The main house was built in 2010 by Los Angeles architect Michael Maltzan. The seven-sided structure is shaped around an interior courtyard and features double-layered, UV-protected glass.

The Patels’ daughters, Maya and Ayla, play in Ayla’s bedroom, which features a corner window seat framed in walnut. The roller shades are from The Shade Store.