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The home is accessible year-round, although snowy winters and road closures make the trip from Seattle a bit longer during the colder months.

The concrete flooring is complemented by maple plywood walls, creating a warm, neutral interior.

The interior features concealed storage for convenient access to daily essentials and outdoor gear.

The architects added a cork wall behind the bed for a layer of warmth within the space.

Whether it’s cross-country skiing in the winter or trail running in the summer, the 330-foot home’s minimalist design encourages Catherine to be outside in the surrounding landscape throughout the year.

In Carnation, Washington, Kim and Lou Maxon and their three boys reside in a horizontal, steel-clad house designed by the renowned firm Olson Kundig. Its south end is slightly raised above the bare landscape, accessible via a bridge.

“The things we splurged on still look raw, which is what we wanted,” adds Nick.

A Seattle couple built their own backyard house with a city-sponsored design—and then rented out their old home on the property to friends.

At 700 square feet, Chris and Ady's cottage had to make economical use of space—like the bar-height dining table doubling as a cooking countertop.

Adi and Chris chose an L-shaped, pre-permitted plan by Cast Architecture with extensive glass, and resisted two-story options to fit in better with their neighborhood.

The couple's living room, anchored by a favorite old leather sofa, stays cool with the help of a ceiling fan and mini-split heating and cooling unit.

The unit's private back patio is enjoyed by all. "We set it up with a table and chair,

High Reflective White by Sherwin Williams was chosen for the baseboards, walls and ceiling. “My usual is Dunn Edwards: 3560,” Augustin says, “but on this project I strayed off script.” Two skylights, costing a total of $600, bring in natural light from above.

Augustin spent $6200 on concrete floors, which included the new slab and the control joins, as well as grinding, polishing, and sealing. “We just put one layer of sealer on and they ground it down a bit,

For the modern facade, Redwood slats mimic the enclosure's horizontal alignment. The wood material, known for being low maintenance, pairs nicely with white trim and a frosty gray acrylic stucco. As you step through the threshold, the exterior concrete transitions into a polished interior surface.

“I wanted something bold and fresh,” Augustin says of the unit’s citrus-inspired front door, painted Tangerine Dream by Dunn Edwards. The door is flanked by horizontal Redwood slats and gray acrylic stucco.

The Light Shed is wrapped in bituminous fiberglass corrugated mini profile cladding on battens with an UV open cladding membrane behind.

With a new baby on the way and the soon-to-be grandmother moving in, Seattleites Ilga Paskovskis and Kyle Parmentier asked Best Practice Architecture to expand their detached garage into a 570-square-foot ADU, which they now call the Granny Pad. “We can see the joy it brings Grandma when the baby comes over to visit,” says Kyle. “It’s the best part of her day.”

Carolla sourced the large-format porcelain tiles from San Diego Marble and Tile, same as the sage tiles, alongside a 48-inch Bluestar range.