Ideal Home

Floor Plan of Kōwhai House by Rafe Maclean

The children’s bedrooms are side-by-side, with a shared playroom/study outside of the doors.

A 580-square-foot terrace complete with outdoor kitchen sits above a new garage. The terrace’s design was inspired in part by New York’s High Line, says Rick, with its varied and immersive plantings, expanded steel-mesh guardrail, and lighting beneath ipe handrail caps.

A brick hearth designed by Winter was updated with a gas fireplace. The couple redid the kitchen without enlarging it, in an effort to stay true to Winter’s plan. “We were trying to do a modern version of what would feel right in a house designed in the ’70s,” explains Rick.

Architect Rick Cook imagined his ideal family home and then found something surprisingly similar for sale on a wooded two-acre lot in Palisades, New York. Cost, indecision, and the scale of the project, which included the original 4,000-square-foot home and a sizable addition, all slowed the pace, but so did the couple’s desire to honor the intent of the original architect, Charles P. Winter, who designed the house in 1972. “It made me think about every move we made,” says Rick.

The interior of the tasting room is outfitted with Eero Saarinen-designed chairs, North African rugs, Douglas fir siding, and a terrazzo floor.

The two structures' gabled roofs can be prominently seen from the street, alongside its all-over black siding.

"Having the additional office with a standalone entrance on the ADU is such a nice feature,

The ADU's second level has an office for Gui, overlooking the backyard.

The ADU's kitchenette is tucked into one side of the structure, with a ladder leading to a carpeted playroom for the kids. "It's a great example of a family home that doesn't always look like it,

White oak millwork and concrete floors continue into the ADU, which creates consistency between both structures.

The couple wanted stacked ceramic tile to be a repeated feature of their home, alongside white oak and oversized knobs.

The primary suite's half wall allows for sunlight and fresh air to reach the full bathroom on the other side.

The powder room's blue-and-white motif evokes the ocean, which Emily says is a "quick bike ride

The open floor plan and vaulted ceilings maximize space and natural light throughout the home.

While much of the home is outfitted with concealed storage, the owners wanted this area of their kitchen to feel airy and open.

The couple wanted to make sure that their home was distinctive from the other modern properties that were popping up in Venice Beach, thanks to plenty of bespoke features.

The front of the renovated property features clean lines and few materials to not overwhelm its corner of the neighborhood.