Modernist retreat in Beverly Grove

A pivoting cedar door blurs the lines between the front door and the garage door so that it appears to be one long panel.

A raw, rough steel stairway seemingly floats up to the second story of Vanessa Bradley and Michel Bocande’s Beverly Grove home.

Working with landscape architect Alison Terry of Terry Design, the couple chose a prehistoric ginkgo biloba tree from Berylwood Tree Farm in Somis as a centerpiece.

Polished concrete floors throughout the first floor give the interior a a loft-like feel. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors offer easy access to a small pool, fire pit and banquette, deck and a separate meditation room.

Modernist retreat  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Vanessa Bradley and her Labrador retriever Roxy relax in the living room. The classic purple sofa is from B&B Italia.

Vanessa Bradley and Michel Bocande wanted an indoor-outdoor feel in a house that didn’t overwhelm its lot.

Water flows into the small pool through a sleek U-shaped metal channel in the backyard of Vanessa Bradley and Michel Bocande’s home in Beverly Grove.

Vanessa Bradley sits at the edge of her pool with her dog Roxy at her side. He home and its walnut deck have a geometric design.

Vanessa Bradley has a bird’s-eye view of the pool from the outdoor lounge on the second floor.

The couple purchased a 1924 Spanish-style teardown in Beverly Grove and over more than a year proceeded to build a new home using Minarc’s interlocking mnmMOD system, which uses prefabricated panels for energy-efficient and highly customized construction.

One of two open concept master bedrooms in the home features a large bathtub in the bedroom instead of the bathroom. A skylight overhead helps to create a distinctive bathing experience.

Modernist retreat  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Vanessa Bradley and Roxy relax in the library area between the two master bedrooms. The outdoor lounge is at right.

Vanessa Bradley and Michel Bocande wanted an open concept home where the kitchen flows directly into the outdoor dining room and the backyard pool area.

Modernist retreat  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Two white ceramic pots holding succulents hang in the kitchen.

The home wraps around a “Tree of Life,” which is visible from rooms on both floors.

The bright yellow blossoms of a palo verde tree add color and design to the drought-tolerant front landscape. The cedar panels in the background have been stained dark brown.

At left, a ginkgo biloba tree the couple call “The Tree of Life.” Right: A zen garden off of the meditation room at the rear of the property. The mixed-media piece is by Senegalese artist Aly Kourouma, who is based in Los Angeles.

Tall grasses gently blow in the breeze, and the yellow blossoms of a palo verde tree provide color and help define the front of the home.

Modernist retreat  (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)