Writing house

The charred wood siding is from Blackwood Siding, while the standing-seam metal cladding is from Agway Metals, installed by Novak Cladding. All of the structure's windows and doors are from Tiltco Architectural and Velux.

The entire property is less than 450 square feet, but feels much larger thanks to careful planning.

“From anywhere in the house, you have a sense of the outdoors,” says Melonie, “and yet it’s very private.” Ikegami agrees. “The building was really about the landscape—it can dissolve into the background,” he says. In the master bedroom, Japanese Tansu chests from the couple’s previous home flank a Duxiana bed. The full-height windows and swing door are from Western Window Systems.

The trailer's original twin bed now serves as a reading nook with sliding polycarbonate partitions. For storage, the couple created cubbies for milk crates fixed with wood cutouts.

“We used construction-grade four by fours,” says Riley, referencing the tiled offcuts that make up the trailer’s floor.

A long maple butcher block forming a kitchen counter and work surface replaced one of the trailer’s two twin beds.

The red rock of the fireplace façade became smooth drywall with an elongated concrete hearth. “We fireproofed it with a layer of fireproofing between the actual fire insert and the outside walls,” notes Mattingly of the application. The rug is the Savannah from Armadillo, topped with a Cierre Aida Sectional from KCC, and a Little Petra Lounge Chair by &Tradition. The lighting is Noguchi, and casts a soft glow at night.

In turning the second level of the garage behind their duplex into a multifunctional workspace without breaking the bank, Kyle Huberty relied on friends, family, and the community at large.

An office addition separates the work area from the domestic sphere.

Red- and blue-pigmented cement augments the color palette of the courtyard.

The three-bedroom Iniö model from Pluspuu features floor-to-ceiling windows, a loft-like interior, a wraparound deck, and a gable outline reminiscent of a traditional log cabin.

A basic floor plan and section view

The mix of plywood helped save on costs, adds visual interest to the space, and serves as an example for Tim’s clients.

Like the other houses on the pedestrian-only street, their home comes right up to the pavement’s edge, but unlike any other, it greets passersby with a wide glass facade.

“The idea was that children, friends, and visitors would have space and independence,” he says.