How this artistic couple built their dream home on a budget

An antique pendant light from Japan hangs in the dining room in Scott and Naomi Schoenherr’s Laguna Beach home.

Architect Geoff Sumich said the couple “wanted to capture the feeling of a Japanese farm house,” a nod to Tokyo-born Naomi Schoenherr’s roots.

A teapot from Indonesia stands next to a wood stove in the living room of the Schoenherrs’ Laguna Beach home.

An open-beam ceiling and giant glass panel windows are part of the open-plan dining, kitchen and living area at Scott and Naomi Schoenherr’s home.

A large studio/workspace occupies the lower floor, and the upper floor is dedicated to living spaces.

A ceramic Rolls Royce, titled “Forever Love,” created by artists Scott and Naomi Schoenherr is displayed in the studio in the lower level of their home.

A papier-maché owl under a glass dome suggests a little whimsy in Scott and Naomi Schoenherr’s living room.

The gardens are alive with metal sculptures and flowing bamboo at Scott and Naomi Schoenherr’s hillside home.

Wisteria blooms along a second-story railing at the artists’ home.

The master bedroom in Scott and Naomi Schoenherr’s home.

High windows surround the bathroom, giving plenty of light and a view of the hills.

A retro-looking plate by artist Fred Stodder hangs in the bathroom in Scott and Naomi Schoenherr’s home.

Artists Scott and Naomi Schoenherr hold their chickens, Bella and Luna, in their backyard.

Antique wooden gears from Japan hang on a kitchen wall.

A hand-crafted wooden fruit bowl catches a ray of morning light on the dining room table in Scott and Naomi Schoenherr’s home.

Scott Schoenherr stands on the front porch, near windows designed for the views of the hills.

Naomi Schoenherr and her husband, Scott, have a studio and office on the bottom floor of their hillside home.

Artists Scott and Naomi Schoenherr in their art-filled home.