Guest Casita Ideas

A semi-finished daylight basement is now an independent suite that can flex in use. Master Furniture Makers fabricated the custom-designed cabinetry, curved built-in seating, and wall treatment. Caesarstone ‘Fresh Concrete’ covers the kitchenette counters.

Boy Boy fabricated the brass shelving and custom range hood. The backsplash tile is by Portland studio Tempest Tileworks.

Valspar ‘Black Evergreen’ covers the beams, doors, and trim. The perimeter counters are concrete, by Cement Elegance.

In the living area, Lou sits on a Room & Board sofa, while one of the family’s two Great Danes relaxes nearby; the fireplace is by Montigo.

The Oosterbeek Prefab, like all Manta North prefabs, is built from Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), which was chosen for its sustainability and strength. The houses are well insulated, and the facade cladding is made of thermally modified wood for durability and water resistance.

For a bathroom in the new addition, the architects utilized the former addition's rocky foundation, complemented by zellige tile.

Lisa added a window above the sink, and moved the sink from the island, so that Brendan could watch his kids play as he cooked.

"The tile backsplash creates a nice backdrop to the open shelf, where they display their cookbooks and Megan's photographs,

The 1970s apartment architect Ana Sawaia renovated for her clients Pedro and Flavia was poorly lit and felt cramped. In addition to removing partitions to bring in light and create a sense of openness, she also refinished elements like the concrete pillars and beams, which were stripped and polished to create a patinated effect.

For the sake of affordability and durability, the architect employed vinyl flooring for $5,980 throughout the ADU. In the open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, a vaulted ceiling lends a feeling of luxury and spaciousness.

There are 12 arches in total throughout the home, playing up the desert modernism vibes. “I feel like they bring a very soft, timeless, and creative aspect to such simple parts of the home—like as simple as a walkway or a window,” says Derek. In the kitchen, and throughout the home, there is no natural gas consumption; every appliance is electric.

In the primary bedroom, wood and Mediterranean aesthetics provide the common thread. The bedside lamps are from the Spanish decor chain Natura.

Scala Studio created the kitchen from scratch in the former office space.

"Objects placed within the open shelving provide additional pops of color and interest, and compliment the closed storage on the opposite side."

Harry designed the kitchen to feel like furniture rather than cabinetry. The mosaic tiled backsplash (Nagoya Mosaic-Tile Co from Academy Tiles) and the dropped overhead cabinet's rattan inserts are a nod to midcentury style.

Limestone floors and cherry wood countertops give the kitchen warmth and texture.

Speaking to his original design, architect Saul Zaik says, “We were really just building boxes with a bunch of windows but experimenting with how you integrated indoor and outdoor spaces.” The house has seven different openings to the exterior, allowing different courtyard or patio settings for a range of outdoor activities, including seating for a gathering on the street-facing side. The Milfords hired Lilyvilla Gardens for the landscaping around the house, including variegated bluestone steps with thyme joints.