Molly Sedlacek's Cork House in Highland Park: Tour Her Small, Sustainable Home

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Landscape designer Molly Sedlacek may be familiar to those who frequent our sister site Gardenista, where her projects, products, and philosophy have all been feverishly covered. There’s good reason for the fandom. Molly’s work under her firm, ORCA, is fresh and thoughtful and makes a compelling case for the marriage of minimalism and naturalism. Turns out, her home in LA’s Highland Park also telegraphs a less-is-more, natural-is-best ethos.

She discovered the compact house back in 2022. “I was living out of my van, building my business in Los Angeles. I knew it was the right time to make the jump from Marin, where I was renting a small apartment, into a home where I could operate ORCA and grow,” says Molly. But she felt defeated that the properties available within her “beginner budget” were either sad fixer-uppers or even sadder renovated flips, neither of which she wanted.

Then she stepped into “Fig,” the name given to the skinny, cork-wrapped house by the original owner (Michael Tessler) and its architect (Daveed Kapoor)—and it just felt right. “The home was like a natural extension of my work. And in meeting Michael, who conceptualized the space, it was clear we were aligned on how modern construction should be approached. The materials selected and the attention to space felt very connected to nature—nothing wasteful, everything intentional.”

On move-in day, the rental truck wasn’t stuffed with chairs and tables and boxes of beloved knick-knacks (there would be no room for them anyway in the Fig). Instead, the truck was crammed with boulders, bricks, and plants—these were her cherished objects. “There was a running joke from the moving crew about having to move rocks and bricks versus furniture and ‘useful’ things,” she says. “The kalanchoes, cabbage trees, and elephant tree were all a part of my previous home. There is a story to every plant, and sometimes I’d like that story to continue on.”

Below, Molly gives us a tour of Fig, which now includes a just renovated street-level work studio and, naturally, lots of stone and plants.

Photography by Justin Chung, courtesy of ORCA, unless otherwise noted.

Floor 1: Work

the exterior of the house is clad in \2 inch thick cork panels that also serve 17 — Above: The exterior of the house is clad in 2-inch-thick cork panels that also serve as insulation. (Cork is a renewable resource, as the bark of the cork tree can be harvested every decade or so without harming the tree.) Fittingly, hanging over the lower garden, providing shade, is an oak cork tree. Molly had the redwood fencing added when she moved in, as well as the boulders, which, to her delight, have become improvised seating for people waiting at the bus stop on her corner. This year, her work studio on the ground floor was renovated, one of the bigger changes being the addition of these steel and glass French doors fabricated by Fathom and Form.

orca team meetings are often held in this lower garden, now home to some of the 18 — Above: ORCA team meetings are often held in this lower garden, now home to some of the boulders that made the move with her. The Adirondack chairs are ORCA designs. The cedar benches are from Angel City Lumber, which works with wood from fallen trees in Los Angeles.

a renovation that wrapped up earlier this summer helped organize orca&#8\2\ 19 — Above: A renovation that wrapped up earlier this summer helped organize ORCA’s studio into distinct areas: a reception space (pictured); a work space “dedicated to getting dusty with clay”; and a place for storage. The sofa is from Restoration Hardware; the chair and coffee table are ORCA designs.

samples of orca designed pavers are stored in custom shelving by arbor design+b 20 — Above: Samples of ORCA-designed pavers are stored in custom shelving by Arbor Design+Build. (See Ask the Expert: Molly Sedlacek of ORCA, on Permeable Hardscaping.) The stools are vintage.

justin chung molly sedlacek house basement studio desks

justin chung molly sedlacek house portrait

Above: Molly at work. The slim wall-hung vase in the image at left was made by Molly. “I made some at a wild clay ceramic workshop with Mitch Iburg. I love any opportunity to place a bud or found plant stem from hiking. I call them wall planters.” Note the skylights composed of glass bricks, which make up part of the upper garden’s floor.

the new bathroom, designed by design assembly, on the lower floor is lined 23 — Above: The new bathroom, designed by Design Assembly, on the lower floor is lined with ORCA Brick Clay Pavers in Dune. Molly had the cabinet door knobs made from walnut from Oregon (her home state). The faucet is by Phylrich.

just outside this door are steps that lead to the upper garden—and molly 24 — Above: Just outside this door are steps that lead to the upper garden—and Molly’s living quarters. The handwoven doormat is by ORCA.

Floor 2: Live

here, in the upper garden, you can see the glass bricks that comprise the offic 25 — Above: Here, in the upper garden, you can see the glass bricks that comprise the office skylights below. This patio nearly doubles Molly’s living space. “The table is an upcycled pine trunk with a redwood slab top. I love mixing wood species in furniture. It offers texture and character variation while the medium remains the same,” says Molly.

right off the patio is the living area. a low concrete bench spans the width of 26 — Above: Right off the patio is the living area. A low concrete bench spans the width of the room (about 12 feet) and serves as a console. The lamp is from Ceramicah and the modular seating is custom. In the corner is a thriving Shefflera plant. Photograph by Austin John.

austin john molly sedlacek house kitchen island2 — Above: The entire home is just 860 square feet and each level has an open floor plan to maximize natural light. Triple-fold glass doors lead to the patio. The rug is from Armadillo. Photograph by Austin John.

the terrazzo countertop and backsplash is made from la river sediment. molly ha 28 — Above: The terrazzo countertop and backsplash is made from LA River sediment. Molly had the kitchen island fabricated from thermo-treated pine that’s meant for outdoor decking use. Photograph by Austin John.

molly sees the textured lime plaster walls throughout as art in their own right 29 — Above: Molly sees the textured lime plaster walls throughout as art in their own right. The only artwork hanging on the walls is a piece by Lucie Timonier-Collie. A deep inset cubby makes use of the space under stairs. Photograph by Austin John.

Floor 3: Sleep

instead of a wall, molly opted for open shelves, built by rojas fabrication stu 30 — Above: Instead of a wall, Molly opted for open shelves, built by Rojas Fabrication Studio, to separate the bedroom from dressing room. The only artwork hanging on the walls is a piece by Lucie Timonier-Collie. Photograph by Austin John.

a vintage chair and beautiful wood floor lamp by summer studio elevates the dre 31 — Above: A vintage chair and beautiful wood floor lamp by Summer Studio elevates the dressing room. (See Summer Studio: Understated Wood Furniture by Architect-Turned-Woodworker Jack Sasaki.) Photograph by Austin John.

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‘Nothing Wasteful, Everything Intentional’: Molly Sedlacek’s Small but Mighty Live/Work Space in Los Angeles

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