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The existing Ikea cabinet boxes received new Semihandmade fronts: the DIY Flat Slab painted Benjamin Moore's “Revere Pewter.” The butcher block was replaced with a Ceaserstone Empira White slab, and the wood shelves were preserved, though received new brass brackets. The brass hardware is from Rejuvenation and the pendant is the Pirlo from Tech Lighting. The new zellige tile is from Riad, in the Natural White color.

The corner is the family’s favorite gathering spot—“a contemporary cave for three,” says Serge. Luisa’s module, with its cactus-lined terrace, is visible through the glass wall.

The Shinomotos have filled their Southern California home with furniture by Taku and pieces by some of the artists and craftspeople whose work they also showcase at their Tortoise shops and showroom. The couple worked with architectural designer Ken Tanaka to remodel the house, once a cramped, two-bedroom rental. A sofa and tables by Taku join Jasper Morrison’s Three Sofa De Luxe sofa for Cappellini. The sliders are by Western Window Systems.

Designed for a creative couple from Los Angeles seeking a quiet retreat, this 380-square-foot sanctuary was conceived as something between a tent structure and a viewfinder: Openings draw focus to specific views across Great Oyster Bay and the Freycinet Peninsula while providing immediacy to the vegetated dunes of Dolphin Sands. From burying the utilities to paving access around the undulating terrain, Matt Williams Architects made every effort possible to minimize their encroachment on the site and blend the structure into the landscape.

In his renovation of Kate Brien Kitz and David Kitz’s Los Angeles home, architect Andrew Hall reinterpreted the original gable roof and siding. Landscape designers Mary Lange and Molly Funk transformed the yard with drought-tolerant plants. The walkway decking is from Kebony kebony, the Seaspray paint from Benjamin Moore, and the front door hardware from Emtek.

Modern Windsor chairs by Hay surround an oak extension table by Ethnicraft. “You flip a lever and it gets larger,” Lachapelle says. The original plan called for a center island, but the owners wanted the flexibility of a table they could also use as a prep surface. The oak cabinet behind the sofa is on casters for additional utility. “We can even use it outside,” the husband says.

A third of the house and deck cantilever out toward the stream, and the void beneath the deck provides a place for wood storage. The cabin sits just 100 feet from the water, and with the windows open you can hear the ambient rush of the stream from throughout the house.

Toronto architect Gregory Neudorf creates a pristine and practical 400-square-foot dwelling with nautical storage below deck.

Back to front: View of the Mullet House top two floors from backyard

View through the ground floor to the Pacific Ocean beyond

Kitchen and dining area: The homeowners wanted a simple and durable material palette.

A dry creek bed arranged beneath the glass corridor emphasizes its elevated positioning. The creek bed is composed of large native boulders and runs the length of the property.

House in Chilean Forest by Lucas Maino aerial view

House in Chilean Forest by Lucas Maino hallway

House in Chilean Forest by Lucas Maino inner courtyard and stairs