London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

These Minimalist Prefab Homes Maximize Indoor/Outdoor Living

These Minimalist Prefab Homes Maximize Indoor/Outdoor Living

2 prefabs-one a Japanese-inspired ADU, the other a young family’s spare and serene headquarters-take root in Los Angeles.

Ask any artist or designer and they will tell you: Constraint is fertile ground for creativity. The art of building a home-especially one like a prefab, with its standardized design elements that optimize both materials and labor-turns out to be no exception to the rule. Take, for instance, two inventive prefab residences designed and built by Connect Homes in Los Angeles, which "couldn’t be more different," says Jared Levy, the company’s cofounder and designer of the projects, yet they came from the same client-set parameters: "Both wanted clean, contemporary design, more natural light, and better indoor/outdoor flow," Levy explains.



The Newberg family’s ADU in Laurel Canyon was designed with a sophisticated, Japanese-style aesthetic in mind. "I always loved the idea of a dark exterior combined with a very light interior," says owner Nancy Newberg.

Stark Contrast


When Los Angeles–based jewelry designer Nancy Newberg originally installed a Connect 2 prefab above her freestanding garage, her plan was to use the 640-square-foot space as a guest house. She chose the one-bedroom, one-bathroom model, and customized it with the addition of a covered deck. Soon after completing the project, her son Nick moved back to town following graduation from college on the East Coast, and he became the first resident to test out the space. "We’ve always shared a passion for tiny homes," says Nancy. "It seemed like the perfect place for Nick to begin his life in L.A."



Many of the furnishings are custom-designed to fit the constraints of the square footage. "I was surprised how much I enjoyed working within the limits of a small space," says Nancy.

The ADU also seemed like the perfect place for Nancy to try out more of her decorating ideas, having just completed a spectacular Marmol Radziner–designed new build for herself and her husband on the same lot. "The goal was to create a cozy little tree house nestled into the hillside," she says of the property’s crowing touch. They painted the exterior black and brought in bleached wood for the floors and ceilings. Levy adds: "The Newberg’s main house is a Spanish Mediterranean-style home covered in beautiful, off-white plaster, so our sleek, black wood cabin couldn’t create more of a contrast."



The floorboards-wide oak planks bleached to a light color-were repurposed from the construction of the main house. The homeowner installed matching tongue-and-groove panels of bleached oak on the ceiling.

Nancy went with a larger-than-usual sliding door that opens up the living room and kitchen to the covered deck module outside. It was a custom touch that would wind up surprising even Levy himself-proof of how special each prefab has the potential to be. "Sliding those doors open and walking out onto a covered deck surrounded by the treetops was a pretty intoxicating moment," says Levy. "I didn’t want to leave."



Light wood cabinetry with metallic pulls bring warmth to the kitchen. The concrete countertops are trowel-finished for a textured look.

Family Reset


Across town in West L.A., Michelle and Brian Duff-along with their two kids and two dogs-had outgrown their home of ten years, but they still loved the neighborhood. The 1,920-square-foot Connect 6T model offered the family the chance to stay put while upgrading to a contemporary design with more space. "We love clean lines, natural light, and openness," says Michelle. The fact that the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home would come together with minimal disruption to their lives and the neighborhood was a welcome bonus. They signed the papers in August, and were moved into their fresh space less than a year later.



"The home’s black metal details, wood cladding, and large windows stand out from the surrounding stucco boxes in the neighborhood," says Levy.

The flowing, uncomplicated floor plan encourages the young family to live in the same ways. A monochrome palette allows artwork and textiles to take center stage-pieces from favorite California artists such Tony Manzella, Alex Cave, and Blockshop Textiles enliven the walls.



The Eames chairs around the dining table are from Design Within Reach, while the table and stools were sourced from CB2.



In the kitchen, black-and-white Ikea cabinetry is paired with white Caesarstone countertops.

Sliding glass doors open to the wraparound deck, which provides plenty of space for outdoor seating and dining. When closed, the oversize sliders still offer beautiful views of the landscaped yard. "Our dogs love keeping watch over the neighborhood through all the generous windows-hence the dog nose prints," laughs Michelle.



"It lifts me up each day to see and feel the light streaming in, and to watch it change throughout the day, " says Michelle.



Although their lot is 50 feet wide, the Duffs chose to build a 24-foot house to enable livable side yards with decks. For the active family, having a home that connects seamlessly with the outdoors was a priority.

The Duffs also value the lighter environmental impact of choosing to go with a prefab design. "We appreciate the fact that building the home in a factory helps reduce waste of both materials and labor," Michelle says. Levy adds: "The conventional homebuilding process can be complicated and opaque, as well as very expensive and time-consuming. In these two cases, prefabs offered more eco-friendly, streamlined, and affordable options."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
×