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Amy and Tomasz's cat Gustavo "Gus" hangs out in the dining nook. "They weren't super concerned about having a huge dining table," says Sims, "but we wanted to give them some dedicated space for dining." It is now one of Amy's favorite places in the home.

The bathroom epitomizes Mike and Jewlsy's approach of working within the constraints of the existing apartment, with paint and waste timber used to dramatic effect.

The small stool in front of the storage wall was made using spare timber from the production of the dining table and chairs. The way the form is created from a single repeated element gives the stool its name: 'Riff'. "

Sævik compares her house to a contemplative hideout. “It’s very quiet,” she says. “You can concentrate and let thoughts fly.” Her favorite summer pastimes include reading, painting, drawing, yoga, and “just sitting and feeling the forest,” she says.

The rough-hewn stone stairs that lead to the cottage were made by a local stone worker.

The couple took advantage of numerous municipal programs when landscaping the backyard. Mandy recently completed a free course through LADWP, who also promotes resources for the SoCal Turf Replacement Program, to become a certified California Native Plant Landscape: “There is an amazing amount of knowledge and resources for transitioning yards with more native/drought-tolerant plants through LADWP and the Theodore Payne Foundation,” says Mandy.

A graphic wallpaper by Kate Zaremba wraps the kids' bathroom with sconces by Allied Maker.

The window frames, side gate, and front door were brightened with custom shades from Johnstone’s Paint—a playful blue-yellow-orange color scheme that is carried throughout the house.

For dining outdoors, Restoration Hardware stools are paired with movable steel trays. A table that nests on top of the kitchen counter can also be wheeled outside. Scaly Mountain, North Carolina Dwell Magazine : September / October 2017

An outdoor shower in the lower courtyard includes most of the materials that define the project, including Cor-Ten steel posts, horizontal ipe slats and decking, a custom seat and towel shelf set into a natural boulder, and concrete pavers. The yard includes many elements built for play, like a water feature embedded in a concrete wall that is fed by runoff rainwater collected from the breezeway roof.

Birdsall plays with her son Atticus in the living room next to a Charles sofa from B&B Italia. Formwork also designed the coffee table—fitting, since the architects come from strong fabrication backgrounds.

Set on a steel frame and reached by a bridge, the master suite extends up to 13 feet above the sloping grade.

Just adjacent to the house is Whitlock's small shed which houses many of the tools that he used to build the home.

Color Me Rad To give the exterior of your home a chic, contemporary veneer without splurging on expensive cladding, use a bold accent color.