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Resident Paul Andersson lounges in a Paulistano armchair by Paulo Mendes da Rocha.

A bedroom loft is upstairs. “The first level is much more connected to the garden and the community, but upstairs, we envisioned it as being a nest where you could get away,” Sonja says.

Strom designed the ADU with Isaiah. They went for gray-green Ikea cabinetry that wraps two sides of the room. “It’s one thing to have a wall of cabinets, but if you can turn it around a corner, it makes it look much more tailored to the space,” Strom says.

Savings were made by selecting an IKEA kitchen with simple appliances and a Caesarstone countertop.

“Economy was always at the forefront of all of our decision making due to the high cost of building in California,” explains Kille. But that did not stop her and the design team from selecting strong color choices, like green kitchen cabinets and a bold orange-red front door.

“We did our best to tuck the buildings into the site—the goal was to get up high on a perch. It was a matter of setting that elevation and working back down with the topography.”—Riley Pratt, architectural designer

Three small pavilions connected by a deck form a summer retreat that balances privacy with a panoramic view—all in less than 900 square feet. Among the three pavilions are the standard comforts of any home: a kitchen, living space, and dining area are situated in an open floor plan in the main cabin, where a collection of vintage pieces—including leather lounge chairs from Belgium and a modern fireplace by Preway (whose chimney stretches into the tall ceilings)—mix with white Bertoia wire chairs and Noguchi table lamps.