stairs

Beyond the second-floor landing, a garden roof filters rainwater and provides insulation.

“We have all these different destinations,” says Sardinas, a writer who works from her home office. “I’ll be working, get stuck on a passage, and take a break to go read outside.” On the lower roof, red Vegetal chairs by Erwan and Ronan Bouroullec for Vitra provide moments for repose.

The staircase leads to the upper level and features lighting from Flos.

The first floor houses a storage room, guest room, gym and garage, all built around the lush inner courtyard.

The lounge is accessed via two long concrete steps. On the stair opposite, the continuous vertical balustrade timbers extend to the ceiling of the second floor to form a sculptural element that allows natural light and ventilation to flow between the levels.

The screen extends down to the basement mudroom.

With the home’s relatively compact footprint and efficient floor plan comprising two bedrooms and two bathrooms over a single living level, smart use of space was critical. "Built-in storage everywhere [is] number one," says Melanie. A pantry and storage drawers are tucked under the stairs.

The wooden staircase is a nod to the original timber cabin.

Upstairs, a 150-square-foot flex space can work as an office, media area, or lounge. "The view and the light are so nice, I’m thinking of making it a joint workspace so coworkers can come work here when it’s safe," says Nils. A Perimeter pendant light from Blu Dot illuminates the stairway.

A staircase winds up through the center of the house. Its structural spine is made of cross-laminated timber, while the screen that encloses it is made from slats of South African pine. “The timber screen separates the stair from the surrounding space but still allows glimpses through,” says Douglas. “It recalls Japanese screens, especially at night when it lights up like a lantern.”

“The project was always concerned with the question: How do you create a living space for different tenants to come together?"

Each inch is accounted for in the 1,916-square-foot home. Cabinets and clever storage for wine are tucked under the stairs.

Stairs