Crafted Dwelling™ no. 1

A 700 sq ft live-work studio designed for rhythm, reflection, and resonance.

Tucked behind a quiet Los Angeles hillside, The Composer’s Retreat is more than a back house—it’s a stage for a story in sound. This 700-square-foot ADU was crafted as an immersive, spatial score for a working composer. Every corner of the space acts like a cue in a musical composition: from the rhythm of vertical wood slats echoing along the walls, to the silence of a skylit ceiling that opens into pure daylight.

The space unfolds like a well-paced track. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a framed vignette—a wood-paneled wall with a built-in bench that conceals storage for cables and scores. A sliding acoustic partition reveals a micro recording booth tucked into the far corner, its walls wrapped in warm gray felt, softly diffusing sound and light. Opposite the recording space, a floating desk anchors the workspace, with hidden routing for audio cables and a track light system that responds to scene: “compose,” “record,” or “reset.”

Signature details give this crafted dwelling its soul. A brass plaque engraved with the unit’s title—Cue No.1—marks the front entry. A magnetic wall panel acts as a dynamic pin-up space for notes, lyrics, and inspiration. Even the plywood millwork is tuned—spec’d for acoustic warmth, precision-crafted, and wax-finished by local fabricators.

More than an efficient studio apartment, The Composer’s Retreat is a cinematic micro-world—a dwelling where work and creativity converge, built to be lived in like a score performed on loop.