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In the upstairs bathroom, the team expanded the footprint by taking some space from an adjacent bedroom. The tile is from Cle, the tub is Claybrook, the faucets are Brizo, and the walnut casework contains custom-designed pulls by Murray Legge Architecture.

Office of Tangible Space tapped artist Rafael Uriegas for a mural to cover the hallway leading to the children's rooms.

A humble kitchen built with Ikea cabinets and a butcher block countertop gets the job done—but here, Sean and Chadd do most of the cooking outside.

A double-height ceiling creates an expansive feel in the living space.

The lofted bedroom has cargo netting.

The pool area has been landscaped with native plants that extend the Sonoran Desert landscape. “I didn’t want to see concrete around the pool—I wanted to see a garden,” says Michelle. “We tried to convert it back into the desert flora that is typical around here, and to make it beautiful and interesting.”

Floor plan of Palapa Concreta by Lasala & Lasala

The single bathroom is made of concrete and has a shower open to the sky.

Deborah sits on the concrete staircase at the center of the house. Doubling as an extension of the kitchen, it encases a stove, a refrigerator, and storage space. “These stairs for me are like sculpture that you can use,” says the Venezuelan-born artist. “They’re a cross between art and functionality.”

Most of the furnishings, including the daybed, coffee table, and stools in the living area, were designed by Deborah and built by her handyman and carpenter, Luis Rey Mendoza. Secluded at the house for much of the pandemic, Deborah threw herself into creating items for the interior. “It was my art project,” she says.