yard/deck

The ceramics studio’s enclosure consists of a roof elevated off the original rafters, and glazing applied directly to shelves that are suspended between the original columns.

The ceramics studio was built on the posts and beams of an abandoned pergola from the old estate. Its new enclosure consists of a roof elevated off of the original rafters, and glazing applied directly to shelves that are suspended between the original columns.

The outdoor wood deck feels like a continuation of the indoor flooring, with the key distinction being its horizontal orientation.

Sliding glass doors connect the indoor living space to the deck.

The composting toilet is situated in an outhouse on the property.

Instead of placing the bed on a platform that raises and lowers, Melissa and Mike placed it on the floor of the cabin.

Bringing the outside in.

The cabin's clear roof allows for plenty of natural light and unparalleled views of nature.

An Eames lounge chair and ottoman anchor the houses's living room, which enjoys floor-to-ceiling views looking north.

Both bedrooms, including this bunk room, feature the same sliding-glass doors as the living room and great room, allowing plenty of natural light.

The overhanging roof creates covered outdoor space connected to the home's public areas.

A see-through entry hall joins the living areas with a bedroom wing.

Architect Johan Sundberg looked to Japanese architects like Kengo Kuma for inspiration for the design of a holiday home in southern Sweden. "We call it the Katsura typology, but that's probably sacrilegious," he says. The eaves of the gently sloped hipped roof extend generously in all directions, turning the deck into a covered retreat that’s part veranda, part engawa, the Japanese version of a porch.

A maple tree grows through an ipe deck in this garden that Mary Barensfeld designed for a family in Berkeley, California. A reflecting pool separates it from a granite patio, which is furnished with a Petal dining table by Richard Schultz and chairs by Mario Bellini. The 1,150-square-foot garden serves as an elegant transition from the couple’s 1964 Japanese-style town house to a small, elevated terrace with views of San Francisco Bay. Filigreed Cor-Ten steel fence screens—perforated with a water-jet cutter to cast dappled shadows on a bench and the ground below—and zigzagging board-formed concrete retaining walls are examples.

A section of the facade—a cross between a shoji screen and a barn door—slides open. Planter boxes contain edible varieties that fuel Mary’s culinary explorations.