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“From anywhere in the house, you have a sense of the outdoors,” says Melonie, “and yet it’s very private.” Ikegami agrees. “The building was really about the landscape—it can dissolve into the background,” he says. In the master bedroom, Japanese Tansu chests from the couple’s previous home flank a Duxiana bed. The full-height windows and swing door are from Western Window Systems.

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

The new, stepped decks run the length of the house, visually and physically connecting both sides of the building.

The architect and owners were in sync on every aspect of the design, including the desire for shou sugi ban siding. “I had been interested in shou sugi ban for a long time,” Herrmann says. “These Japanese cypress boards have been charred, wire-brushed, stained, and oiled. We did a lot of testing to come up with the right dark grey color; it changes in the light.”

The Nook exterior features shiplap cypress siding, a reclaimed oak deck, and an entranceway of oak blackened in the traditional Japanese method.

Curved archways connect the various living spaces, allowing natural light to easily pass through.

The post-and-beam construction continues into the principal suite. Large sliding glass doors open up to the grassy lawn and pool awaiting in the backyard.

Designed by architect Richard Dorman in 1959, the post-and-beam dwelling sits on a half-acre lot and boasts floor-to-ceiling windows in every room.

In addition to a sparkling pool, the backyard also comes with a spacious patio. The recording studio is located in a detached unit located near the carport.

In Marin County, just north of San Francisco, the Woerner House is a dynamic theater of light and views.

Listed for the first time in 30 years, John Lautner’s Tyler House is a timeless dwelling set on a secluded lot just minutes from Ventura Boulevard.

Listed for $880K, this modernized post-and-beam home embodies quintessential Palm Springs style.

The bedroom is elevated around five meters above the forest floor, and the space beneath has—like the green roof—been given back to the Bushveld. “Naturally, this space is shadier than the surrounding forest, so it creates a different microclimate for different species to flourish in that area,” says architect Ant Vervoort. “It’s an area that we have cultivated.”

Leather dining chairs contrast smoothly with a blue velvet sofa and ottoman.

The window seat can also double as a bed. "It's particularly long, which was so that an adult can sleep there, or two kids could comfortably cozy up and sleep there," says Shaw, noting that it’s tucked around the corner from the bed for privacy.