This special property on Northern California’s San Rafael Bay inspires its owners, musicians and composers Hilary Perkins and Jim Nunally. It was love at first sight for the couple as they wended their way through the wild and woolly gardens to reach expansive views of San Rafael Bay. The property had a cozy little fishing shack built in 1945. And though they felt embraced by the small house, its flow and size weren’t functional. “As it was originally configured, the bedroom opened into the living room almost like a one-room studio,” Perkins says. “We found that any time we wanted to cross the room, we were moving guitars, music stands and whatnot out of the way.”

The couple lead the Nell and Jim Band, a bluegrass-Americana roots band. They wanted to keep their house cozy and humble and have it reflect their passions for art, music, storytelling and history. And they wanted a bit more space so they could welcome friends and family and have jam sessions here. Interior designer Lauren Brandwein helped them design and outfit a modest-size new house in a way that kept the shack’s down-home spirit alive and preserved the gardens.