Favorites

Expansive sliding glass doors extend the living and dining area with the fenced-in backyard.

With the plants gone, the new finishes reflect more light.

The sleek wall-hung sink is made of Black Marquina and complemented by the texture of the terracotta floor tiles. The clay wall coating has a waterproof finish in the bathrooms.

In the main bath, Arto tile from Tempest Tileworks in turquoise was combined with Benjamin Moore paint in the color Boca Raton.

Now, built-in sofas line the perimeter of the room and utilize the room’s shape better.

Oversized white porcelain stamps the floor in the primary bathroom—another well-lit space. In addition to the large glass shower, a free-standing soaking tub awaits in the opposite corner.

The floor, walls, and vanity in the master bathroom all sport the same porcelain tile for visual consistency, while textured porcelain tiles that look like wood distinguish the shower. A new skylight sheds light inside the internal room.

The exterior of the home features warm blackbutt timber cladding and crisp black metalwork. Each level of the home opens out to a deck or balcony, and the curved white balustrade outside the main bedroom is a contemporary take on the original architecture.

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.

The pair borrowed a little space on the front porch and expanded the kitchen into the breakfast nook, so the sink now looks out on the front yard and old olive tree.

The backsplash and counters are Caesarstone, and a floating white oak shelf was positioned flush with the hood vent for a cleaner look.

A dramatic white oak panel wall reaches up to the new vaulted ceilings. There’s a concealed pantry to the right of the refrigerator.

The adjacent bathroom offers a double vanity, large shower, and soaking tub.

There’s the option to rent out the top floor, but it also makes a great place for family visiting from Europe to stay.

With a view of the top-floor patio, the Fonte Trading bathtub offers a chance to bathe in natural light, too. Moristo One tiles line the shower stall.