Small House

Thick vegetation encloses the sage-green home, allowing it to merge with its surroundings.

"Venturing downstairs, you'll find two bedrooms, both with en suite baths, one with a petite deck that opens to the garden, the other with a separate side entrance,

The fenced-in backyard presents a spacious, private setting for outdoor entertaining.

Paneled with reclaimed wood, the light-filled sunroom overlooks the city beyond.

Floor Plan of Hill House by Jon Powell Architecture

The couple added a half-bathroom to the main level and replaced the tiling, costing them around $6,600 combined.

For the study room, a friend who is also a carpenter crafted custom built-in bookshelves that matched perfectly with their new kitchen cabinets.

The ground floor now has continuity and flow, instead of the compartmentalized spaces that stifled brightness.

It was important for the creative pair to be able to showcase their collection of art pieces throughout.

The kitchen redesign was one of the priciest aspects of the renovation, costing the couple over $60,500.

The home has retained much of its historic character, including its original wood floors and doors.

Niki and Gustavo splurged on more permanent finishes and budgeted on items, like faucets and shelves, that could be easily upgraded over time.

The dining room and kitchen were integrated by removing a load-bearing wall that once separated the rooms. The space is now filled with natural light from the backyard.

According to the architects, the house's "thinner dimensions not only display refinement of technique, but also remove visual weight from materials—the position being that lightness is good for the human spirit and visual heaviness is not."

Along with the sage, citrus trees irrigated by gray water from the house provide the couple with lemons and limes for mixing drinks, among other things.