Small Spaces

The Armadillo is parked on a 1,000-square-foot lot that gives the couple ample outdoor space.

A safe space for the kids.

All three extraction hoods in the building were designed by Fala.

By showcasing the original ceiling, Howorko brought close to 100 feet of new space to the studio.

After a wildfire ripped through Jeff Waldman and Molly Fiffer’s 10-acre retreat in the Santa Cruz Mountains in August of 2020, the couple was determined to build a new home. They were hesitant about investing too much money, though, as they knew that California was only getting drier and more prone to fires.

Type St. Apartment floor plan

Silvery blue woven vinyl flooring continues from the living room to the bedroom. “[It] gives a contemporary reference to the traditional tatami straw flooring and brings a softness to the space,” adds Chen.

“I really enjoy the bathroom space, as the apartment doesn’t have an outdoor space so I tried to create the illusion of green outdoor environment in the bathroom, with the green moss wall, timber tiles, etc.,” says Chen. The bathroom, seen here from the bedroom, also has a retractable clothesline.

Only used for special occasions, the fold-out dining table is concealed in a wooden panel that slides out from the wall. The folding stools are by Timber Dimensions.

A clear delineation lies between the oak-clad box that houses the entry, kitchen, and bathroom on the right, and the white-walled living room and bedroom.

The minimalist design approach allows the materials to take center stage.

The all black bathroom is surprising (but stylish) in the compact space, tiled with two-inch rounds. The original plan, however, would have been even more unusual. “We wanted red grout as a nod to Darth Maul,” laughs Kyle. That color concept lives on in the custom storage cabinet Schmitt designed for Kyle’s Dyson, with special red and black foam cutouts for the various vacuum pieces to be nestled in.

A folding bench chair pulls out to be extra table seating — though the table itself is mobile, too, able to be shifted to a second wall mount to act as a work space when Kyle craves a change of scenery.

The custom floor is made from maple. As you lift storage hatches and walk through the Airstream, the pieces follow a sea to sun design that designers Schmitt and Jacobs worked with Kyle on.

Kele Dobrinski and Christina Valencia, of Sacramento, California-based Colossus Mfg., revamped a 2008 Starstream Starcraft camper that allows their family of five to comfortably explore nature in different landscapes for weeks at a time.

Behind the freestanding dividing wall, a set of bunkbeds offers more sleeping area for guests. The light fixture is by Brendan Ravenhill with a custom black shade interior.

The one bedroom-one bath guesthouse has a kitchenette, and also utilizes the same materials as the main house: walnut cabinets, cedar walls, and the tongue and groove ceiling treatment.

The banquette, countertops, floating shelves, niches, and bedframe are made from reclaimed pine.