Blogs

Designer and builder Rob Wells is based in San Diego but spent his teen years in Squaw Valley, Calif., and wanted his kids to experience life in the Sierra Nevada. Building Gnar House there was also a chance to experiment.

Some design firms are driven by a particular style. Some by their competition. Others, such as Build LLC, are driven by a philosophy. “Our architecture is highly inspired by the Scandinavians,” says Andrew van Leeuwen, lead architect and partner at the Seattle-based firm.

Moving across the country to Los Angeles nearly 15 years ago meant boning up on many aspects of life in the West. This included earthquakes, of course. Until you actually feel one, you have no idea.

Data from the Migration Policy Institute and the Pew Research Center show that in the past six years the U.S. has seen an influx of migration, with foreign enrollment at American universities almost doubling since the Great Recession.

Teardowns are becoming the rule in my Los Angeles neighborhood, replacing the 1,000- and 1,200-square-foot homes that were built here in the 1950s. It’s happening nationwide, in scores of enclaves like mine.

Last fall, a salesperson from a solar company knocked at the door. He was in the right neighborhood—in sun-baked Los Angeles, our pocket is one of the sunniest.

They arrive almost every day, via design blogs, emails, colleagues, and friends. Modern or gingerbready, space-age or shingled, from the Netherlands to Nashville to New Zealand. They have clever storage that lays to waste the idea of unused square footage.

Kitchens and baths are opportunities for a custom builder to really shine. When clients bring photos of European cabinets, pro-style gas ranges, steam showers, and other sexy features to a meeting, builders are inclined to go all out in order to please them.