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Jagoda installed two Velux skylights in the kitchen and one apiece in the kids’ bathroom and the parents’. “Ideally, every room in the house has enough natural light that you don’t have to turn on the lights during the day,” says the architect. The frost bathroom tile is from Heath Ceramics, while the faucet is from Vola

Perched below the Griffith Observatory and overlooking Hollywood is a lush lot crowned with four towering olive trees and a 1965 home designed by modernist architect Craig Ellwood. When a young couple purchased the home in 2018, it needed substantial work. For a historic restoration, they called on Woods + Dangaran, a local firm fluent in modernist history. The team completed a meticulous restoration of the home while keeping original components like the linear shape, open plan, and expansive windows. One of the most striking features is the original koi pond (a feature deemed so essential that its preservation was a condition of escrow) that is now crossed via a bridge that leads to a new lap pool—perhaps the biggest intervention on the property.

Custom wood cabinetry and white subway tile compliment the existing wood ceiling and floors, with a ship's bell at right contributing to the nautical ambiance.

Scala Studio sought to preserve the home’s architectural details while modernizing the interior.

Top 10 Black Gable Homes of 2020: A dramatic take on an archetypal shape, these pitch-roofed residences cut a striking figure.

After buying an Echo Park bungalow, the homeowners, who originally intended to renovate the small home, realized the potential of building an entirely new dwelling in place of the existing garage. It offered better views of the neighborhood and the opportunity to design exactly what they wanted.

“Celebrating California indoor/outdoor living is key,” Oni says of her and Didi’s new rental unit. “We splurged on that—it was the best thing we did.”

The cedar exterior of the building was pre-stained by a local supplier. The charcoal hue helps it disappear visually into the forest, and contrasts with the light and warm interior.

The siting of the home was intended to take advantage of the proximity to Lake Ontario, with windows aimed at the waterfront wherever possible.

Nicole and her daughter enjoy the family’s kitchen, which features a large marble-clad island to ground the space. Adding to the kitchen’s bright and airy feeling are two large picture windows in place of upper cabinetry.

The large Chinese Flame tree can be fully enjoyed from the two outdoor seating areas.

"One of the clients is very attached to Texas and all it represents,

The homeowners are known for collecting spirits as well. Fun fact: They sold a few of the bottles to afford their dream dining room fixture.

A cedar deck, built-in bench, and Fermob Costa table and chairs under a new porch roof serve as a year-round dining area.

Cover designed this 414-square-foot prefab office/guesthouse specifically for the Hollywood site.

A pair of Icelandic prefab pioneers deliver an efficient family home in Culver City. Building smarter is at the heart of everything designers Tryggvi Thorsteinsson and Erla Dögg Ingjaldsdóttir do. Whether they’re testing the limits of indoor/outdoor living or developing a prefabricated wall system that they hope will make traditional wood framing a thing of the past, the founders of the Santa Monica design studio Minarc are consumed with making structures stronger, lighter, and more efficient.