In New York about two hours north of New York City, architecture and interiors firm BarlisWedlick created an eclectic compound designed to suit a client with an idiosyncratic wish list. In the kitchen, a custom Stickbulb LED lamp hangs above a kitchen island topped by concrete from Get Real Surfaces. The cabinets and island feature a modern version of a traditional board and batten siding that are given an even more contemporary feel with the concrete countertop.

A central challenge of the renovation was to integrate lighting into the architecture in such a way that “even if the space had no furniture, you could turn on the lights and instantly get a cozy atmosphere,” says Bjerre-Poulsen. After Europe banned incandescents in 2009 Bjerre-Poulsen turned to halogen fixtures, which are more energy-efficient and give off a similar quality of light. (He won’t use LEDs until their ability to render color is further developed, he says.) In Østergaard and Olofsson’s kitchen, he embedded a halogen strip in the underside of the wooden shelf over the countertop to direct light onto the work surface.

A pair of matching Idea lights by Vesoi over a dining room table and chairs, both locally-made.

Pink & Brown’s Corkscrew Pendant Lamp lights the stair leading to the family room

A mother and her fawns in Waterton Lake, Canada.

I designed this desk and Michael helped me make it when I was at Pratt. Michael and I went to Pennsylvania to get the slab of walnut; it was a great day. The photos are a mix of family photos. I love to have pictures of family members throughout their lives, not just what they were to me. For instance, I have a wonderful picture of my grandmother in her teens in New York, one of her with her three kids (including my mother), and one taken in my aunt when she was in the tub reading a book in her 90s. All the pictures remind me of a happy, deep, or funny, moment. Sometimes I could swear they wink at me! -Sophie Demenge

In Sweden, architect Bengt Mattias Carlsson created a pavilion adjacent to a residence dating from the late 1800s. The pergola is made from glue-laminated timber beams set atop steel posts; it protects the pool from falling pine needles. George Nelson benches offer places to sit.

This project by Studio Saxe elegantly combines modern methods of construction with local materials and techniques. Villa Saxo is defined by an exoskeleton pergola structure that provides shade over large terraced areas while also creating a frame for the local flora to grow around.

A newly expanded window over the atrium allows glimpses of the surrounding neighborhood.

In the kitchen, custom walnut cabinetry and Caesarstone counters are paired with Bertoia stools and Ikea pendant lamps.

Taking cues from the warmth of the setting sun, Brooklyn-based Workstead’s renovated a 1,800-square-foot Tribeca loft in an 1864 factory building. A timber palette and custom woodwork achieve a cozy feel throughout, and the architects tore out awkward interior partitions and dated finishes and exposed the building’s original fir joists to restore the loft’s open and airy feel. Oversized windows, a light color palette, and a minimalist design approach help pull natural light deep into the home while simultaneously directing views out toward the Hudson River.

"The project is a tribute to the majesty of nature and to the people of Norway," says Schluchtmann, "who not only settled on and cultivated this land, but also have the courage and the taste to add something to these special places that puts the crowning touch on the whole thing."

For shoppers on a budget, Sherman recommends the following tricks: "Pick a smaller feature wall or accent areas. Choose a wallpaper you can install yourself, if so inclined. Look for sample sales."

Shower-head and bathtub from the Islands installation by Raw-Edges for Caesarstone. See at Palazzo Crivelli, Via Clerici 5, Milan.

"The idea behind the building is for a grounded, timber element extending along the Western side of the block, which creates a screen for the rest of the site," Blue says. He specified farmed timber, engineered wood for framing, high levels of insulation, and an evacuated tube solar hot water system to help the house become more green. A layout that facilitates cross ventilation helps reduce the need for air conditioning in the summer.

Making the library public was essential and the foundation found their solution in digital tracking through RFID technology.

With the Hario Drip Kettle, it’s easy to take the simple task of brewing morning coffee from stale to sophisticated. Used as a pour over brewer, the stainless steel kettle has an ergonomic design and features a long, slender spout that’s ideal for steady, continued pouring over coffee grounds. Pouring in this way ensures an even saturation of grounds, as well as sustained extraction. Aside from the flavorful cups of coffee the kettle yields, it’s also stunning to look at with its subtle, undulating curves and delicate spout. It’s a kettle that deserves to be displayed after use. The Hario Drip Kettle works excellently when paired with a manual coffee maker, like the Hario Drip Pot.

The Menagerie Collection is a series of prints that depict animals and flora in a range of soft, yet vibrant colors. Although compositionally simple, each print is comprised of several parts—the graphic is screen printed on 140 lb. arches watercolor paper, after which McGinnis fills the colored print with a hand-drawn line sketch. From there, the 100 percent cotton paper is mounted and framed in an ash wood frame. Shown: Yellow Leaf, Blue Horse, Blue Fern, Red Snake, Blue Elephant. Also pictured: Cherner Lounge Arm Chair, Nelson Bubble Lamp Criss Cross Ball Pendant, and Shapes Rug.

Let them know you care without draining your bank account. These holiday gifts hit the spending sweet spot and work for just about everyone.

"I went on my first trip to Norway in 1996," Schluchtmann says. "The landscape and the light left such a strong impression on me that I decided to give up my law studies and to go to Berlin to become a photographer."

Designed by architect William Massie, the American House 08 is the first in Massie’s series of ten prefabricated houses at Cranbook Art Museum in Michigan. The largely horizontal home is defined by its white façade and unexpected details—waves are created on the exterior of the home, and windows line the property. Designed by Mike Perry, this print sets the American House 08 within a bold landscape of characters and flora. The home, rendered in white and black, stands out from the expanse of green and yellow, while still looking like a part of the scene.

Rendered in a soft blue, this Blue Fern print features intricate charcoal line work.

Shown here, Fukasawa busy over the cooktop.

The 2,439-sq-ft Crank House by over,under.

The skylight over the living area and kitchen keeps things quite bright.

In another one of Aumas' vignettes, he pairs a stuffed fawn from the Parisian store Design et Nature with a disco ball he used in a window display.

The ground floor has a visitor’s bedroom for when Velma has friends over to stay.

The Italian architect Dante Bini developed the Binishell in the 1960s as a simple affordable-housing alternative for developing countries. The domes were formed by pouring a thin layer of concrete over a membrane and inflating it. Rendering courtesy of Binisystems.

Surrounding a volcano in Colima, México, Di Frenna Arquitectos designed a home that plays off the natural setting with a variety of textures from the facade to the vegetation.

This Red Snake is defined by its detailed vertebrae and double S-shaped form.

Little confusion over what this flipper is meant for.

Blowfish super size sculpture by Robert Israel

The CD blankets were draped over inflatable mounds.

Patterned shirt by Print All Over Me Print All Over me is "like a really high-end café press," Singer says. "You upload any kind of pattern you want and they print it onto clothing blanks, like cute shift dresses and blankets, not just baseball caps. We’re doing their first ever furniture collaboration. We paired furniture designers and illustrators, so it will be a chair by Fort Standard with a printed leather seat by Damien Correll."

Modern skyscrapers loom over large swaths of coastline.

"Dining room with Bubble Lamp original to the 1958 house. They don't put brass fittings on the new ones any more."