Outdoor

The U-shaped floorplan wraps around a sunny central courtyard.

The crushed, white rock landscape ties in with the white mortar cladding of the home.

The side walls have been treated as vertical extension of the horizontal surface of the garden, and are used for growing climbers such as jasmine, grapes, honeysuckle, raspberries, beans, peas, and even a climbing fig. Colorful bird’s houses and bug hotels are also mounted on the walls.

On the home's east side, the overhang created by the second story volume shades the front door while still allowing morning light into the bedrooms.

A healthy budget for landscaping allowed Leah to achieve a natural, wild look with plants. “I wanted to look out and see just lush plants growing wild,” she says. The collage of native vegetation was also used to soften the transitions between surface materials and backyard zones.

In Sunnyvale, California, architect Ryan Leidner cracked open a 1962 Eichler with a crisp remodel flush with foliage. He replaced the home’s vertical plywood facade with one-inch strips of American red cedar set at two depths. The rhythmic slats conceal a garage door that swings open on a hidden hinge. At the entryway, two massive panes of frosted glass shimmer with light and shadow from the atrium inside. Homeowners Isabelle Olsson and Matthaeus Krenn stand out front.

The simple wood deck features innovative cutouts that allow full-grown Yucca trees to peek through.

When the couple noticed tile poking out of the ground near the front door, they began excavating. To their surprise, they discovered a rectangular reflecting pool that had been buried due to neglect. Now a concrete bridge leads over the rebuilt water feature to the front door, which is painted an eye-catching orange to match its original color.

The warm wood of the front door, leather sheath on the brass handle, and glass panel set an inviting and relaxing tone for the home.

The wood cladding extends outside and wraps around a corner of the facade. Alemán Design Build oversaw the landscaping.

Design, Bitches turns a typical Atwater Village home into a lush hideaway with a new, cedar-clad guesthouse.

One of the second-level bedrooms looks down to the ground-level courtyard.

Clear Oaks Residence is nearly hidden by the landscape, which makes this home a true retreat from the hubbub of the city. A Genesis GV80 sits surrounded by lush landscaping. Preproduction model with optional features shown.

Day, Hachigian, and Sosi congregate on the back terrace at a dining table designed by Day and his brother-in-law, Garo Hachigian.

The beanbag chairs and outdoor sofa and chairs are from West Elm and the Case Study Museum Bench is from Modernica.

In the bedroom , Ball Light pendants by Michael Anastassiades hang above Tulip side tables by Eero Saarinen for Knoll. The linens are by Brooklinen, and the Serif TV is by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Samsung.