outdoor/indoor

Brian selected Private Black by Behr for the exterior's dark brown paint.

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 highlight of the overhaul is the floor-to-ceiling glass on the north side, which includes a five-panel bifold door. The door opens to the couple’s favorite area of the house, the backyard. The deck is shaded by the cantilevered roof, and Ren planted drought-resistant brush amid the existing oak trees.

In Oakland, the weather allows for indoor/outdoor living most of the year.

Zen Den floor plan

The patio features a sectional from Neighbor, a coffee table from Zachary A., and dinnerware from Kinto.

With exposed industrial materials for finishes, the interior includes hand-troweled, waxed concrete floors, Douglas fir beams, and sealed-plywood ceilings.

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

The courtyard acts like an outdoor living room, where the Arnolds’ daughter, Josie, plays freely, safe from nearby traffic. The family dines here most of the year at the custom-designed wood-and-steel table. The picnic table set reappropriates the century-old eucalyptus tree that once grew on the site.

Separated only by large expanses of glass, the interior and exterior landscape flow together.