He worked around existing oak and eucalyptus trees for the new building, and retained the vernacular of an original barn, at right, where Frankel hosts concerts. Check out MVRDV's Balancing Barn.

"In this project, we got so much benefit out of this 'secret garden' for the master suite along with all of these environmental benefits that the residents were excited to embrace. It's one of the pieces we are happiest about," says architect Jonathan Feldman.

Just as the barn was extended and cantilevered over the sloped site, so too was the deck off the kitchen, which juts out toward the oak grove. “There are 125 coast live oaks on the property,” says Walker. “They’re beautiful trees, so why not exploit that?” See more ways to use oak in your home.

Molly and Jake watch TV with the balcony door ajar.

A look at the exterior of Tyler and Brown's new 2,150-square-foot house, located a stone's throw away from Tyler's mother's home.

Raymond takes a break on the master bedroom’s interior balcony, which is cantilevered over the dining area.

Leino's balcony.

A second master bedroom comes with spacious private balcony and bay views.

A handful of boxy protrusions on the facade give the modernist residence an additional three-dimensionality. The colorful window frames and door also give variety and depth to the gray structure.

Flowering balconies are common in Saigon, where residents can interact with the city outside. Here, a beautifully patterned steel frame contains a cantilevered internal balcony, which looks out over the outdoor dining area's net ceiling.

Atlanta Design Economy Credits Architecture: K. Souki Design S., Sani Construction Interior Design: K. Souki Design Studio General Contractor: Imery Group Landscape: The Greenseason Group

Spacious balconies and deep overhangs allow for easy entertaining.

Atlanta Design Economy Credits Architecture: K. Souki Design S., Sani Construction Interior Design: K. Souki Design Studio General Contractor: Imery Group Landscape: The Greenseason Group

Wright and Keffer (standing) hang out on their deck with Bolander, who lives just across the road. The chairs, designed by Bolander, are upholstered in Sunbrella fabric.

While the whole building overlooks a school garden, from this resident's window, the new overlooks the old. The distant spire of a local church finds its optimal frame in the modernist design of North Star Rising.

Just Glaze Double-glazed windows are typically composed of two layers of glass with a layer of air in between. You might spend more on them upfront ($200–$1,500 each), but the extra insulation can save loads on your heating bill and more than recoup your investment over time. weathershield.com

View of the Cupola from the Balcony Overlooking the Living Room

Epic Sail To reduce heat load and provide shade, DeSalvo initially tracked down a sail system from Sun Shade Australia. But the $6,000 price tag had the architect and contractor designing their own version out of Mermet solar screen fabric. It was fabricated by Covers Unlimited for $1,800. coversunlimitedinc.com

A Cozy Sitting Area in the Loft

"Balcony" was the most popular search term on Hemnet in 2014.

Judith and Marc are Swiss music composers who have lived in Los Angeles for decades.

The 1,292-square-foot split-level apartment occupies the top two floors of a building in central Athens that was completed in 1995. The apartment’s configuration allows for four balconies and panoramic views of the city and its tallest natural feature, Mount Lycabettus.

The early-20th-century structure is seen next to the 300 square meter modern addition. A garage and patio were added, as well as a balcony that would complement the proportions of those in the original building. According to Quevedo, the biggest challenge was to approach both structures with a “common language” and explore the idea that “preservation and modernity can coexist.”

Vines growing off a small balcony connect the indoor space with the lush garden.

The plant life filters dust particles, absorbs carbon dioxide, and protects the building from radiation.

Architect Andrew McAvoy created an earth-sheltered house in Scotland for Gavin and Angelique Robb and children Scarlett and Gus.

Paola Gracia keeps an eye on Kata, one of the couple’s schnauzers, from the second- story balcony. In the shade below the balcony is the dogs’ house, meant to mimic the Gracias’, that architect Jorge Gracia built from leftover building materials.

The home becomes progressively more private as it ascends from the open-plan living area to the upstairs rooms.

Surprisingly, this cozy and partially earth-sheltered family home—which is, according to Gavin, "one step away from Passive House standards"—started life as a series of derelict and semi- derelict farmstead buildings in raw and rural Aberdeenshire, in the hinterland of Scotland’s northeast coast. For the new structure, Grace & Webb fabricated a laser-cut steel balcony.

The balcony is notable for its outdoor shower.

The Beautiful Timber Frame Cupola Lets Natural Light Pour in to this Cathedral Living Room

The current open-plan living area will be transformed into two bedrooms. The update was intended to be bright, airy, and flexible, in order to easily accommodate this future configuration.

The neighbors' balconies provide an interesting perspective.

Without a garden of their own, Takuya and Yurika enjoy the verdant view of the schoolyard cherry trees next door from their bedroom balcony.

New balconies were constructed to complement the scale of the adjacent openings. The second story balcony was conceptualized as an extension of the room to the street. It can be closed when privacy is required, but opened to the street or terrace for interaction with the natural surroundings. The metallic blinds create dynamic shadow patterns as the light changes throughout the day.

Supported by steel strips, the balcony extends outwards to meet the valley below. Fully-glazed sliding doors and a clerestory window provide a view.