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A built-in banquette with a custom table designed by Engelsman saves space. The bench has a cushion made by Caroline and the chairs are Vintage J.L. Moller Model #75 Dining Chairs. A partial wall now separates the adjacent den and TV room, to balance connection and separation.

An 11-foot-wide trifold glass door opens the art studio to the landscape, where rolling hills surround a large glassy pond.

The simple wood deck features innovative cutouts that allow full-grown Yucca trees to peek through.

Lee Buchanan of Lee Build created a screen of white ash slats beside the kitchen as well as the entry. "The stairs are beautifully integrated into the kitchen so the kids and I are always talking and someone is always sitting on the bottom steps,

The wood-framed folding glass doors are from Centor. The battens on the board-and-batten siding are wider than usual for a more modern appearance. The exterior sconces are Dioscuri sconces from Artemide.

The house, painted in "Poppyseed

The overall home is constructed with larch timber, a British wood, and features a central ridge beam that gives it a butterfly-shaped roof. Shou sugi ban was done on the wood to give it a charred finish.

Michael has a small side business for his custom audio equipment, called HIFI/MPLS. The turntable is the Brutus model. It combines concrete, rosewood, and brass, and weighs about 160 pounds.

Sharon and Mike Matas work at large wood table in the studio while their daughter plays.

Olive-green Fireclay tile creates a spa-like experience in the bathroom and fluctuates in tone throughout the day.

Engelsman gave the kitchen an L-shaped layout with a large island workspace at the center, and pushed the tall storage into the garage, to create a wide circulation space to access the dining room and backyard.

A skylight was added to bring in more light, and the existing ceilings painted Benjamin Moore ‘Black Tar’ for contrast. The island pendant is the Schoolhouse Ray 17” Pendant and the stools are the Artek Aalto High Chair K65.

Caroline found the backsplash tile at Los Azulejos in Tecate, MX, while she was on a scouting trip for work. She texted Joel a photo: “He was like, ‘I don’t know, it looks a little terrazzo-y,’” says Caroline with a laugh. “But it turned out to be subtle enough.” The team actually had to install the backsplash twice because the first time, the red grout stained the tile surface. Joel and Caroline drove back to Mexico to purchase a second batch, with which they used white grout.

The wallpaper was one of the first interior details, a limited edition print featuring trans icons and significant moments in queer history.

Wood panelling brings a warmth to the concrete-and-white space.