Dream Homes In and Around Los Angeles

Standard, Avery and Gabbert's architects, arranged their two main living spaces in an L-shape to maximize a sense of transparency.

In the kitchen, she splurged on a Karbon faucet from Kohler.

As the renovation began, DeMarie would talk with Bubeshko about certain details in the apartments, namely the owners’ unit where they had both lived.

The front door is tucked under a cantilevered terrace.

Yumi (left) and Maya (right) cheese around on the steps leading into the front door. Inside, there is ample space for removing and leaving one's shoes, another Japanese element.

Purdy, Eva Luna, and Simon play cards under a Louvre Light by Established & Sons.

The Globo di Luce pendants in the kitchen are by Roberto Menghi for Fontana Arte.

With his son, William, watching, architect Noah Walker tries out the floor-to-ceiling Schüco glass doors he integrated into a guesthouse he designed off an existing barn for Nathan Frankel, an amateur violinist, in Beverly Hills, California. The new portion features an open living-dining area. See more glass houses we love!

Originally built in the 1980s by architect Ray Kappe, the Manhattan Beach home of Matt Jacobson and Kristopher Dukes is anchored by a sweeping circular gesture.

New York natives Jerome and Jamie Pelayo moved west and settled into this 2,000 square-foot Los Angeles home decked out with striking wooden herringbone facade.

This midcentury gem lays in Crestwood Hills, in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, an endangered enclave of midcentury post-and-beam houses designed by A. Quincy Jones and Whitney R. Smith.

The house features thick walls with deep shelves carved into them, intended to save space and convey the solidity of Spanish-style houses.

The dining room. Much of the furniture was purchased from vintage modern home stores in L.A. The furnishings represent an attitude—whenever possible, recycle, reuse, and support local manufacturers—as well as a strong sense of aesthetics at home.

Josie’s tepee playhouse stands on a platform, where she and her friends erect sets for their theatrical productions.

Howard and Shumate in the living room, where Commune designer Steven Johanknecht introduced custom built-in daybeds with storage beneath. The carpet-fragment pillows are from Commune, as is the table, designed by Joshua Tree–based sculptor Alma Allen. The poster is by Mike Mills.

Moe stands in front of the circular opening between the living area and the sleeping/bath quarters.

Although the initial cost of concrete is typically higher than wood, the life cycle costs are lower.

A profile print by the late margaret Kilgallen hangs on the brick wall.

The living and dining room look out to the central courtyard, promoting indoor/outdoor living. Here, five doors slide into a pocket in the wall to create a nearly 23-foot-wide opening on one side looking into the garden. Another set on the opposite side enhances cross ventilation.