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"To honor that tradition of having this beautiful exposed wood through the house, we brought in a wood accent wall in the great room," says Reeves. The single-pane glass was replaced with double-pane glass for improved energy efficiency.

The fireplace chimney became the stove backsplash and vents the custom exhaust hood.

Now, all of the main living spaces benefit from the expansive glass wall that looks out on the backyard.

Reeves relocated the kitchen to the back wall and separated it from the adjacent dining area with a large, quartzite-covered island. "When extended family comes to visit, they do quite a bit of cooking. [They use] a lot of spices, and so there was concern about staining the countertop," says Reeves, who chose Luce de Luna quartzite, a variety that has low porosity. Fireclay glazed brick floor tile defines the space from the rest of the great room.

Office of Things design for Glendale, Queens row house renovation, view of living room and back of house from foyer. After.

Office of Things design for Glendale, Queens row house renovation, dining room and stairwell. After the renovation.

Office of Things design for Glendale, Queens row house renovation, the foyer with a new skylight. After the renovation.

Office of Things design for Glendale, Queens row house renovation, looking toward the foyer from the living room. After the renovation.

Chau created a DIY living wall using irrigation components sourced from Amazon and plants from Home Depot. The hose tucks into a compartment built into the planter wall.

The hall bathroom was given glossy black tile, for a departure from the predominant scheme.

Carie installed the wood counter and tile. “She’s got her own blood and sweat in the project,” says Ruffin.

Now, a loft overlooks the combined living areas. Carie patched and refinished the original wood floors to anchor the predominantly white interior.

The angle of the custom range hood creates, in negative space, the same trapezoidal shape as the exterior. Cabinets are IKEA with custom-painted fronts.

Off-the-shelf tongue-and-groove pine siding was used for the walls and ceiling. Vaulted spaces make the small footprints feel larger.

The steel structure is suspended two feet above the roof of the existing bungalow, supported by four steel columns, one of which screens utility lines running from the Perch to the house below.

Though the house was expanded in back to make room for a new bedroom and extended living room, there was still plenty of room for a patio and terraced outdoor space.

The master bathroom's double-sink vanity

The master bedroom enjoys a vaulted ceiling not unlike the great room's, but is a cozy place of respite facing the back yard.

A classic midcentury Eames chair helps anchor the living room and, when Beau is napping, provide a quiet spot to curl up with a book.