For a cost-conscious 2,000-square-foot renovation located 30 minutes outside of Austin, Texas, architect Nick Deaver took a look around for inspiration. He spied galvanized metal cladding on the region’s sheds and co-opted the inexpensive, resilient material for his own design.

In the kids’ bunk room, Maca designed walnut beds with built-in storage and fabric headboards, and covered each one in hand-knit blankets by Marcela Rodriguez-Chile. The giraffe sconces are from Jonathan Adler. The girls play on a hand-embroidered Olli lounger from Heath Ceramics.

About her collection of cookware, Tyler comments: “I use accessories as the color in spaces so these items are an integral part of the overall design."

Sherman’s friend Anna Chang prepares tea in the kitchen. The range is by Wolf. Walls are coated with parging, a type of concrete made with sand instead of gravel—-more typically used in an industrial context.

Located just off the kitchen, this room was originally designed for dining—the adjustable Ligne Roset Crescendo coffee table can be raised to 28.75 inches—but most days Bill and Abbie prefer to eat outside or at their casual Caesarstone-topped kitchen island. Today the space serves as a sunny reading spot and guest room, with a convertible futon (from Ligne Roset, since discontinued) and a set of leather-and-steel Paulistano armchairs from Design Within Reach.

Mint green-painted ironwork and tiles connect the indoors to the outside more fluidly.

The metal cladding, inspired by a nearby zinc mine, continues seamlessly onto the house’s roof for a minimalist shed effect. “The drip edge turns to make the wall,” explains architect Brandon Pace, “but changes above the window to accommodate a downspout. Any place where the metal contacts glass, or where you walk underneath, we have an internal gutter.”

Metals broker S. J. Sherbanuk (left) and designer James Campbell (right) created a new home in Collingwood, Ontario, with old scrap. "Repurpose, refurbish, recycle" was the guiding principle for the project. The modern, metal fireplace becomes a sculptural feature of an outdoor deck.

Nestled in a forest, the residence consists of three volumes. The patio, enhanced by a German-made beer garden table, is an extension of the living room floor, creating an indoor-outdoor living space. “It’s one way a small space can be made to feel larger,” says architect Jason W. Hart. All of the exterior doors are painted marigold, providing a friendly pop of color.

The former dining room is now home to Russell and Fontanez’s custom kitchen, designed by LOT-EK and fabricated by Chef Restaurant Supplies. “We love to entertain,” Russell says. “Before, the galley kitchen was in the hallway; now we can cook and still be a part of the party.” The space-saving setup, which adjoins the living room, features stainless steel–paneled cabinets, DuPont Corian countertops, Onda stools by Jesus Gasca for Stua, and fixtures and appliances by Grohe, Liebherr, and Miele. To maximize space, the designers specified that the cabinets be built around a former fireplace in the kitchen. “Because there’s a bump out where the chimney is, we turned the sink lengthwise,” Lignano says. “The cabinet directly overhead is only four inches deep, so it’s just a huge spice rack.” The island provides ample additional storage.

The Lyons’ younger daughter practices cello in her bedroom, which overlooks the central gallery space.

Maja's room is filled with toys and includes a little desk area for drawing and writing.

“Durability drove the selection of metal panels,” Schaer says of the home’s industrial exterior. Manufactured by AEP SPAN from corrugated cladding, it looks like zinc but costs significantly less. It also contrasts nicely with the natural siding and trim. “All of the wood inside and out is Douglas Fir, the predominant wood species in the northwest,” Schaer explains.

When Alex or Bruce leave the island, closing up shop is as simple as sliding panels of corrugated metal into place to protect the windows.

A laser-cut-steel staircase connects the two floors.

Orpilla and Alexander’s first furniture purchase, a Christopher Deam credenza, now inspires a much larger collection of furniture.

All the experts agree that it is important for children to have a designated workspace.

"I love metal tongs," Perelman says. "I've had my pair for about 15 years and I'm going to cry when they break because you can't buy them anymore. You can open and close it with one hand. You can flip your wrist back and it locks. and you can flip it down and it opens. This is my hand in the kitchen. I use it for everything. Flipping sausages and meat and on the grill too. I've used it even to flip pancakes—they're sturdy enough." Provisions, the retail side of Food 52, has a handsome version with wood handles for $38.

The mother-daughter duo behind Knotty Gal have a strong craft sensibility and an even stronger social conscious. Up to 15% of sales made from their knotted, handmade accessories go toward educating girls in Bangladesh.

Mud Girl Clare shows off her muscles!

Eight-year-old Emily peeks out from a sliding panel door with matte marine hardware that will age gracefully in the salty air.

Though the house is sleekly modern—some visitors unaccustomed to contemporary architecture have said it looks like a spaceship—there are winks to old-time Americana throughout the property.

Rough-sawn plywood and standing-seam metal siding clad the house. “In cabins, we like to use undressed materials, which lend themselves to the simplicity of the structure,” says architect Tom Lenchek.

Made of black anodized aluminum with stainless steel hinges, the home’s warehouse-style windows are designed to withstand corrosion. No wood was used on the exterior except for the dock, called a finger pier, which allows access to the front door and the couple’s boat. The home looks out onto downtown San Francisco, with AT&T Park visible from the main deck.

The structures share a solar panel, but the families control their own home's heat level with a wood-burning stove.

Bovee and Kirkpatrick eat at the table he designed. The cooktop, oven, and dishwasher are by Bosch; Bren Reis of Earthbound industries made the cabinets.

The two-tone corrugated metal cladding helps the sheds blend into the landscape, along with windows custom-colored by the manufacturer to match.

Cost-effective hot-rolled steel—steel being an Olson Kunding signature—covers the treads on the staircase leading to the sleeping loft.

A vintage console and a Noguchi floor lamp sit in front of an oxidized metal partition.

The girls’ room features wood furniture designed by Bornstein.

The children's room.

kids bedroom

Fontanez solved LOT-EK’s conundrum of how to situate the bed against the center wall while still maintaining closet access by suggesting an automated dry-cleaning rack in the narrow closet. He and Russell access the closet from opposite ends. “We just have to make sure we don’t spin it at the same time,” Fontanez says. Don't miss a word of Dwell! Download our FREE app from iTunes, friend us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter!

The exterior of Jayna Cooper's house in Los Angeles. "As I was designing my house I kept in mind standard lumber and plywood sizes so that there would be minimal waste," she says. "When choosing materials, I did basic research on cost per square foot and picked out some of the least expensive materials in the building industry. Basic, inexpensive stuff like corrugated sheet metal, stucco, and drywall can look really great if it’s incorporated into the design in a modern and well-thought-out way."