Located in Manhattan Beach, California, the family residence savors every inch of its narrow lot. Architect Anthony Laney, AIA and his team at Laney LA took the clients’ wishes for a “small footprint that was true to their personality” to heart, forgoing the second story and basement common to the area in favor of a deceptively simple floor plan.

“We immediately recognized this could be the only single-story house in the neighborhood if [the clients] wanted it to be,” says Laney. “We could do these cathedral ceilings that can have this sense of sacredness and relief and be very generous in certain areas, even though it’s very modest in other ways.”

From the super-insulated gabled roof to the strategically trellised courtyard, sustainable technology blends seamlessly with architectural interest. One of Laney’s favorite features, the side-entry foyer, eliminates the need for a hallway and street-facing entrance. Even the lap pool—a top request from the active homeowners—hides one of the home’s more brilliant features. A heat recovery hydronic system links the pool pump to solar panels, radiant heated floors, and indoor hot water. Inside, an energy recovery ventilator dehumidifies and pulls fresh air, while an electronic damper reduces unwanted air exchanges.

Steps away from the interior kitchen and living room, the outside living area is an inviting haven of Portuguese cobblestones, salvaged natural vegetation, and shade. Steel windows finished in an oil-rubbed bronze cast the home’s interior in soft, natural light, contributing to the open-air, indoor-outdoor style of living.

“A house in my opinion is both a backdrop for living and sometimes also the foreground of self-expression, and I think it’s important to get that balance right,” notes Laney. “Our client gets a lot of credit for being brave and not being apologetic about finding the right moment to be expressive.”

Nature-drawn neutrals, from the white-oak wood to exterior limestone, provide a clean canvas for some charming surprises of color. Hand-painted wallpaper by de Gournay in the primary bathroom and Explosion Blue Quartzite from Rock Mill Tile & Stone and black cabinetry in the kitchen add a delightful sense of playfulness.

“This is a ground up structure, so we could create personality,” says Laney. “We didn’t need to rely upon an abundance of accessories.” Custom elements like the sconces, library display niches, and banquette with built-in storage elevate the home in quiet but impactful ways. “We’re always attempting to find that balance between it being timely for a family today and timeless,” says Laney. “In this case, it was two white, gabled roofs that somehow dances between . . . this youthful, contemporary feel, but also that sense of charm or heritage.”