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In a renovated California home, the double-sided fireplace anchors the first floor as a transitional element between entry, kitchen, dining room, and living room pictured. The fireplace tile was a custom designed shape by the interior designers and was manufactured locally by Fireclay Tile. The integrated bookcase and mantle were made by Kaimade Woodworking with locally sourced walnut.

Architecture firm _naturehumaine designed a dream hideaway in eastern Quebec, complete with a centralized fireplace. The modern fireplace was built into a custom, multi-purpose cabinet welded from sheets of hot-rolled steel. It stores firewood on one end with an open shelve, holds a TV, and even acts as a guardrail for the staircase.

“For the structure, Mapos devised a hybrid system of concrete, steel, and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs),” co-principal Caleb Mulvena says. “Each was strategically utilized to create a lightweight, rigid, and highly energy-efficient shell.” Fiber cement-board cladding and a steel standing-seam roof act as the structure’s envelope.

Instead of isolating the dining table and kitchen island, Aliabadi chose to raise the dining room floor in order to keep both surfaces the same height. The custom dining table is surrounded by Selene white leather chairs and an E23 wood bench. A lighting fixture from Royal Lighting hangs overhead.

Outdoor Tub: A tucked-away bathtub provides a private backyard oasis. “We kind of got carried away,” resident Maury Strong recalls of the decision to place the 59-inch freestanding Keren basin outdoors. “My view was, ‘Let’s just do it all.”’ The extra effort paid off—the outdoor bath is among her grandchildren’s favorite parts of the house. Her husband, Ron Caron, also enjoys relaxing there.

The ground-floor bedroom is clad in redwood and well lit from above.