Landscape

During Covid, Isaac installed walkways and put in an elevated wicking bed where they grow vegetables and herbs. "We don’t have to hose water much at all,

The once-sloping space now has climbing vines, a slatted fence, and foxtail agaves.

“It almost goes without saying that we love the energy efficiency, the smart technology, the low footprint, the smart wood paneling that doesn’t have cellulose so you won’t get termites. We love all those thoughtful details,” Niki says. These features, along with others, are all standard Cover offerings.

The ground floor of the Front House holds an onsen-inspired bathroom with an outdoor tub/shower that faces the courtyard and “encourages relaxation and the spirit of communal bathing.”

In their concrete-walled courtyard, Yuka and Aaron watch as twins Emerson and Jasper, daughters Maude and Mirene, and Alfie the dog play. The house is painted in Black Bean Soup by Benjamin Moore, a color in keeping with the period of the original architecture. The garden was designed by Lauren Hall-Behrens of Lilyvilla Gardens.

Paola Lenti furniture in rich navy and burgundy tones outfit the reimagined backyard, which also features chiseled retaining walls by a local stonemason. Japanese maple trees add to the zen-like atmosphere.

The annex "lanai" opens up to the deck for indoor/outdoor living.

Garden

In situ concrete planter beds filled with creepers and succulents expand the lush garden.

A new set of concrete steps lead up to the main entrance. The steep site and power lines obstructed crane access, so the home’s enormous windows, trees, and even a one-ton marble dining table had to be carried in by hand.

The couple planned out all of the exterior landscaping themselves. "[It was] painstaking, the time spent measuring," says Emily.