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Dark finishes and industrial touches, such as the exposed steel structure on the second floor, are tempered by plentiful connections to out-door spaces, like the backyard, where Cony practices yoga.

“I really like that when you walk in from the street, all you encounter is this abstract element, and you’re not really sure what you’re about to find,” says Pereyra. Visitors enter the house by passing beneath a second-floor hallway and through a courtyard to the entry lobby.

An opening in a Cor-Ten steel—clad wall on the terrace frames the Paola Lenti chaise longue.

A charcoal triptych by Gina Jacupke hangs above the Living Divani bed in the master suite.

A second-floor “pacing” deck marks Faulkner’s design, as it gives the residents the feeling of being indoors and in the landscape at once. “The deck runs along the second floor, adjacent to a bedroom,” says the architect, who shaded the area with perforated steel screens and more solid Cor-Ten steel.

The ceiling is untreated white oak.

The living room features a sectional sofa and leather chair by Zanotta, coffee tables by Porro, a Kymo rug, and a floor lamp from Flos.

In the kitchen, bar stools by Living Divani pull up to an island with Bretonstone countertops; the faucet is by Blanco.

DZINE Concept did the interior design throughout. The dining room features a Liquid table by Baxter and Charme chairs from Busnelli.

Located in Orinda, California, a three-bedroom house by architect Greg Faulkner took its first aesthetic cue from a large oak tree on the site. Cor-Ten steel panels clad the exterior, while white oak offers a material counterpoint on the interior. A 12-foot-wide sliding pocket wall opens the living/dining area to a terrace with a Wave Chaise longue by Paola Lenti. The landscape design is by Thuilot Associates.

Sliding glass doors and a deck connect the minimalist dwelling to the lush backyard with a giant oak tree. The structure, known as Menlo Park Connect2, was built by Connect Homes.

“We shared the planting beds with the owner who lived in the main house. We would meet her in the garden and grab tomatoes. It was a nice feeling of community,” says renter Alexandra.

Why Now, More Than Ever, the ADU Is the Future of Home: Whether it serves as an investment, backyard office, or intergenerational housing, the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) has never made more sense.

Floor plan of Camp Davis by Tadpole Studio

“The roofline is angled so that the clients can wake up in the morning and see Mount Ka‘ala,” says architect Bundit Kanisthakhon.

The dining area is furnished with Indonesian hardwood pieces from Bali Aga and lit by solar lanterns from Goal Zero. The floors are by Trex. “The whole interior can be washed down with a hose,” says James, who made the ladder that leads to the loft.