Favorites

"The most challenging part of the design was fusing the old part of the house with the new addition," says principal architect Alex Terry. The character and architectural integrity of the single-level 1950s ranch house was thoughtfully reconsidered during the addition and remodel. The home’s front porch, typical of the period, was refreshed with Ipe decking and railing.

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, with project manager and lead designer Emily Kudsen Leland at the helm, remade a Portland abode with a crisp paint palette: Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron for the cladding and Venetian Gold for the front door. The home was originally designed by Saul Zaik in Southwest Portland, complete with a wood-clad exterior, in 1956. As part of the renovation, landscape design was completed by Lilyvilla Gardens.

In their concrete-walled courtyard, Yuka and Aaron watch as twins Emerson and Jasper, daughters Maude and Mirene, and Alfie the dog play. The house is painted in Black Bean Soup by Benjamin Moore, a color in keeping with the period of the original architecture. The garden was designed by Lauren Hall-Behrens of Lilyvilla Gardens.

Architect Sean Lockyer designed a 5,760-square-foot concrete, stucco, and ipe home for a couple and their three children in the Southern California desert town of Indian Wells. The residents selected the home's furnishings, including the Royal Botania chaise lounges.

Seen from the guesthouse, the new home touches every corner of the property without overwhelming its natural beauty.

Exterior

Set amongst native California Live Oak trees in the Verdugo Woodlands, the midcentury offers a quiet city escape, all while being conveniently located to downtown Los Angeles.

Before: Brooke and Tobi Probst bought their 1956 house in Portland, Oregon, during the pandemic in 2020. It has 2524 square feet, with generous living areas on the main floor. The kitchen was separated from the dining room and living room by a wall that did not meet the ceiling. That made it “easy to picture what it would be like open,” says Brooke.

Floor Plan of Smoke Tree Retreat by Tantalus Studio

Perched high above Oakland, this expanded midcentury soaks up jaw-dropping views—even from the bathroom.

Floating steel siding shields the home from the elements.

New sliders by Fleetwood open wide to the pool deck, which was redone to match what had been there originally.

The home and surrounding garden encourages connection with the neighborhood. The furnished front yard, for example, features integrated planter seating that marks the entry pathway.

The white oak hardwood staircase between the main and second floor were installed by RK Woodworking. A plywood, MDF-finished guardrail is painted white to match the walls; the handrail features an integrated LED strip light.

Real Cedar is a natural cladding material with low embodied energy that is sourced from sustainably managed forests. While other, synthetic building materials emits carbon, western red cedar stores carbon from the atmosphere.

Risa Boyer Architecture helped with a strategic remodel that targeted specific areas, such as the main living spaces, staircase, and primary suite. The kitchen was expanded to overtake an existing eating nook, and better connected to the dining room and living room.

The weekend retreat is a welcome respite from the hustle of Mexico City.

Looking upon Keith and Christine’s house from the north, a panoramic view shows a compound-like relationship between the main building, pool, and a studio dedicated to exercise, reading, and projects.