The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

THE 1,300-square-foot, modern cedar house in the Hollywood hills was starting to feel cramped, so James MacKinnon, 38, decided to build an additional bedroom. But his wife at the time delivered an ultimatum: the 65-foot sycamore tree in the middle of the sloping backyard would have to stay.

“It was her deal breaker,” he said.

Designing around the tree would prove difficult. The trunk grew at a 45-degree angle and a tangle of roots was six feet below grade, according to his architects, Mike Jacobs and Aaron Neubert, who are based in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Plus, it would add an extra $14,000 to the proposed budget of $218,000.

But Mr. MacKinnon, an Emmy-winning makeup artist for actors and television shows like “Nip/Tuck,” happily agreed. He originally bought the post-and-beam home for $940,000 in 2003, a cozy two-bedroom that sits on a steep slope on Runyon Canyon. The tree, which predates the 1957 house, “has more right to be here than me,” he said.

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme