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A solo presentation of lighting by Christopher Baker at Dobrinka Salzman Galler at Design Miami 2024. Photo by Ysanya Perez

The walls now have 10

The backsplash and countertops are green quartzite to bring the colors of nature inside (but in retrospect, Bassam and Ming would pick another material besides natural stone for ease of maintenance). The flooring and all the cabinetry is natural white oak. The pendant hanging over the dining table is NR2 by Moooi, chosen for its transparency.

“From anywhere in the house, you have a sense of the outdoors,” says Melonie, “and yet it’s very private.” Ikegami agrees. “The building was really about the landscape—it can dissolve into the background,” he says. In the master bedroom, Japanese Tansu chests from the couple’s previous home flank a Duxiana bed. The full-height windows and swing door are from Western Window Systems.

Architect Merritt Amanti Palminteri reinvented her family home to add volume, flow, and infinite charm without changing the footprint.

MuuwSpace, a prefabricated hexagonal cabin wrapped in glass, metal, and wood, measures almost 100 square feet and features a starting price of $32K.

In October 2017, the catastrophic Nuns fire incinerated the ’70s-era A-frame in Napa County, California, that had served as a family retreat for 20 years and that the owners, who are mostly retired, were in the process of turning into their permanent home. (When the fire hit, the couple had already brought nearly all their family keepsakes and heirlooms, making the loss especially poignant.) Working with architectural designer Brandon Jørgensen, the couple turned the loss into a chance to build what is now their permanent home with fire resistance baked into the design.

Thompson, a founding principal of Assembledge+, had recently participated in a Los Angeles Magazine project to imagine solutions for those who lack housing in the city. Their notion was for public agencies to subsidize building ADUs in backyards along alleyways, dovetailing with existing alley revitalization initiatives

The couple refinished the original Fir floors, and planed and sanded down the original moldings and white-washed them. They painted the original fireplace with black matte paint and stenciled a contrasting glossy pattern on the tile. Jason designed and built the coffee table, and the walnut console, which has laser-cut perforated doors. (There’s an inset, upholstered seat for sitting when donning shoes that the cat loves to sleep in.)

Unsure of how to light under the loft, Monica turned to a friend from the gym who works in lighting design. He helped her with the design, the installation, and even gifted her materials.

The remodeled dwelling is nestled in Upper Nichols Canyon (also known as Miller Canyon), a popular residential area in the Hollywood Hills. Among its various features, one of the most notable is the colorful, custom ceramic mural located on the back facade.

A double-sided fireplace shared with the living room warms the deck on cool evenings. Bob sited the house and strategically placed windows to take advantage of shade in summer and solar gain in winter. The outdoor seating is from IKEA.

Architect David Montalba renovated a 1970s bungalow for Janette Sosothikul in Oxnard, California, a beach town midway between Malibu and Santa Barbara.