outside

Steal this idea: The bedroom in the new volume has a “pool,” inspired by a class that Mani took. “My son was studying projection in his geometry class, so we projected a rectangle on the corner and traced it,” says Rudabeh. The color, Benjamin Moore’s Florida Keys, is inspired by a hue in David Hockney’s iconic painting The Splash. The aqua flooring is nailed to the subfloor, and the carpet goes up to the edge with a slight reveal. The rectangle is occupied by an Eames molded plywood chair.

Layered landscaping by Boxleaf Design transforms the property.

Skylights above the mudroom and in the en suite shower let in plenty of natural light in unexpected spaces.

Perched high above Oakland, this expanded midcentury soaks up jaw-dropping views—even from the bathroom.

Julie and Chris Hill’s home in Austin is built around a pair of massive oak trees, one of which shoots through an ipe deck, past a pair of Loll deck chairs, and into a void in the overhanging roof. “The hole also allows light to penetrate deeper into the house,” notes designer Kevin Alter.