Midcentury

The home's extra tall, 12-foot ceilings allow for huge windows facing a canal off the San Francisco Bay.

The porch's lamp was repurposed from a mid-century church in Wisconsin, despite being manufactured across the bay in Berkeley in the 50s.

The outdoor stairway, visible from inside the home, connects both the lower and upper decks.

Residents are allowed a small swath to plant gardens. "A lot of credit is due to the landscape architect," says Barlow, and "Mies's floor-to-ceiling windows make the spaces feel open, while at the same time the canopy of trees makes you feel protected. It's a private, quiet, green oasis within spitting distance of the freeway, and you'd never know it."

A one-story villa in Lafayette Park.

Early on, the house's simplicity had great appeal to Jan Sasseen, the current owner. From walls to rugs to furniture, "pretty much everything is white," she says. "When I was decorating, I picked the most basic things I could find. Nothing had details or frills."

The hub of the home, the living and dining area features double-height floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors that open onto the ample outdoor space.

With the Wirick House, Calvin Straub used slender, exposed wood framing and tall windows to open up views of the San Gabriel Mountains.

The study features one of a pair of Scissor lounge chairs by Folke Ohlsson for DUX and a vintage wall unit by Poul Cadovius.