In the serene upstairs bathroom, Kennon paired Chinese Bluestone floors from Defazio with white ceramic wall tiles from local supplier Classic Ceramics. The tub is by Bette with a Roger Seller faucet, while the bathroom sink is by Argent with a Grohe faucet.

Steel pipe columns and wood beams were recycled from a 1960s church carport; the old-growth fir sliding screens, fence, and gate originate from a heavy timber warehouse in Pioneer Square; the aluminum-and-glass garage door is reclaimed from a downtown condo conversion; and the studio’s shelving and track lighting is courtesy of workstations from another downtown building.

In writing “Divine Intervention," Kelly Vencill Sanchez found herself drawn to the St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Arkansas. “Architect Marlon Blackwell’s transformation of a satellite dish into a dome was inspired,” she says.

Dwell contributing editor Kelly Vencill Sanchez has written about architecture and design for Architectural Digest, Coastal Living, New Mexico Magazine, and Luxe. She reported a story about a renovation of a 1960s house in Reno, Nevada, for this issue. “When residents Chip and Susie Hobson told me they waited eight years to redo their kitchen, I knew immediately we were kindred spirits,” she says. “There are boxes of beautiful floor tile in my garage just waiting to be laid that may or may not have been there for several years.” If you could add one thing to your kitchen, what would it be? “It’s more a matter of what I would take away. That’s one of the things I loved about Jack Hawkins’s renovation for the Hobsons—no clutter and a place for everything.”

These simple key rings from Areaware were a favorite personal accessory at Dwell on Design. Available in two shapes—Bend and Drop—The Contour Key Rings recall the look of retro, oversized key rings, with a modern slant. Crafted from 10-gauge brass wire, these key rings close and secure with a simple screw clasp.

Ocotillo was placed in key areas as a great structural focal point.

Kex is the Icelandic word for biscuit, and the 132-guest hostel was built in an old biscuit factory on the Reykjavik shore overlooking Mt. Esja in the distance.

A view of the restaurant, Sæmundur í Sparifötunum, which serves fancy pub food made using local ingredients.

The check-in desk doubles as a tourist information booth; the staff can make travel arrangements and book tours.

Kelly Lamb’s hand-cast concrete Geo Planter makes an angular abode for the plants in your home. Read more about the Geo Planter here.

For an extra $10, your room can include breakfast—and the chance to graze at this very attractive buffet.

Of-the-moment designers Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi have been raking in awards and collaborating with renowned companies like Christopher Farr, Gubi, and Ligne Roset. The duo created the three-legged Key table, which has a wood top ($199).

For a bit more money than the cost of a dorm bed (though not much more!) you can book a guesthouse-style room with made-up beds and a view of the ocean and mountains on the other side of the Faxaflói bay.

“The physics are well known: You move mass against the force of gravity and with the force of gravity to either store or release energy.”—Jim Kelly

The lobby is decked out with vintage furniture sourced mostly from small American cities.

Shielded from the Atlantic wind, this cozy patio is a popular hangout for visitors and locals alike.

The back wall of the lobby is dedicated to a library and reading area.

In the kitchen, black-cushioned bar stools by Erik Buch pop against the blonde wood counters, custom white melamine cupboards, and milky ceramic tile backsplash. The kitchen sink is by Franke, the faucet by Grohe, and the fridge by Liebherr.

The Contour Key Rings calls to the look of retro, oversized key rings, with a modern slant. Crafted from 10-gauge brass wire, the rings close and secure with a simple screw clasp. The Contour Key Rings will make an excellent stocking stuffer this year.

In a corner of the restaurant is a bar, Drinx, serving wine, cocktails, and local beer. (Random fact: beer was prohibited in Iceland until 1989.)

Leen and Middendorp walk down a path in Akkrum.

Miha hangs out with Kea, the dog, on the wooden deck that extends the living space outdoors.

The home displays several applications of the same materials—metal, glass, and concrete—a key characteristic of most Ellwood homes.

A timber rain screen made of locally-sourced spotted gum clads the house. “It’s basically like a tortoise shell in that it’s a protective layer, a shield, that allows the building to be protected from the sun and insulated from the cold,” Kennon says. Because of its high density, the Australian hardwood stands up well against the elements.

The property is not just steep, but also narrow, which limited the type of scenery and sunlight the previous addition's rooms enjoyed. Kennon engineered the west side of the new house to zigzag inward, permitting both south- and west-facing windows in each section. The slanted western windows also tilt slightly north, which brings in more light. “That’s how you can get winter sun and afternoon sun into the house, whereas previously the addition didn’t have any relationship to the sun,” Kennon explains.

A custom-designed console fits the wall perfectly and creates a spot to drop keys and mail, or check appearances before going out the door.

Key to the space-efficient floor plan is a strategically placed set of recessed areas, includingthe sleeping nook and writing desk.

Throughout the first level, the height of the ceiling stays the same while the floor descends with the landscape. These steps provide natural divisions of space in the open-plan house. The floor also transitions from European oak in the kitchen and dining room to Supertuft wool carpet in the living area.

A Benjamin Hubert Float light from Great Dane hangs above the dining room table. The playfully sized western windows showcase the sky and garden while minimizing views of the nearby neighbors. “They’re apertures to the outside that increase privacy,” Kennon says.

Concrete pillars are key in the event of a tidal wave.

Structural engineering firm Robert Silman Associates was key in helping the couple execute their design, particularly the cantilevered standing-seam aluminum roof.

Colourful furnishings animate the space. Thonet armchair, Jardan Nook lounge and Hay side tables provide a comfortable, deliberately low key setting.

Kelly chair by Claesson Koivisto Rune for Tacchini.

In 2007, as eager young architecture students in Trondheim, Norway, Andreas Gjertsen and Yashar Hanstad won a competition to renovate a house for under $200,000. Seasoned travelers who had witnessed firsthand “a way of building that made important architecture for a fraction of the price,” as Hanstad puts it, they became disillusioned with their supposedly “tight” budget and with the conventional Western approach to residential architecture. “We wanted to use what we know to make things that have meaning,” says Gjertsen. After raising nearly $100,000, they moved to western Thailand and spent a year designing and building a series of houses, a library, and a bathhouse for orphans along the Thailand-Burma border. “Showing the local community the potential in local resources is a big part of the long-term benefits of projects like this,” says Hanstad.

Organization is key: Blum storage systems in the Henrybuilt drawers keep the whisks from ensnaring the spatulas.