Ilse Ackerman, Meeno Peluce and their daughters get cozy in the nest the couple built from repurposed eucalyptus in the yard of their Lincoln Heights home. From left, Ackerman, Mette, Peluce and India. The nest, inspired by the Spirit Garden in Big Sur, "challenges the kids to climb and balance," Ackerman says. The two crafted the nest from discarded eucalyptus they found on a neighboring hillside. "We rented a chain saw," Peluce says. "Someone cleared the hillside and just left the wood."

More...

• A country escape in urban L.A.

Also in Home & Garden

• Design Dispatch: International Contemporary Furniture Fair
• Photos: Furniture Fair picks
• Reality Check: Infrared barbecues
• Centuries later, the hammock is still swinging