“The most important thing to do in a small space is exploratory demolition,” Pozner says. “We found all that height in the bathroom ceiling. There are giant cabinets above the bed—we found all that space. This facilitated architect Darrick Borowski’s small-space rallying cry: “Built-ins, built-ins, built-ins!”

Paneling by Resysta.

In order to give the redesign a seamless feel, Brigham and Archuleta carried the use of wood throughout the room—including the shower. Archuleta researched types of wood that can withstand a high-moisture environment, and the most visually appealing was coastal redwood. He came across an unlikely source of reclaimed redwood: old pickling vats from a company called Trestlewood. Experience in working with reclaimed wood taught Archuleta that “wood that’s been exposed to liquid for long periods of time pulls in minerals that it wouldn't naturally have access to in its living state.” In this case, the iron bands and nails that held the barrels together reacted with the pickling liquid, leaving behind a rich, dark patina.

For their A. Quincy Jones house in Los Angeles, architect Bruce Norelius and his partner, Landis Green, retained and restored core elements, such as the living room’s redwood paneling and concrete-block wall.

Marbelous Wood by Snedker Studio. Danish designer Pernille Snedker Hansen’s custom installations involve treating local Nordic wood with a marbling effect in toned-down hues.

Porches and rolling glass doors draw in the river breeze to keep the home cool.

Even the pool is the result of mixed influences: Andrew wanted a series of shallow, gently sloping hangout zones; his wife, Amy, a former competitive swimmer, needed a full lane deep enough for laps.

Architect Darrick Borowski, designed the nearly wall-size custom cabinetry.

Shah, Suttles, and their daughter, Tesla, use their outdoor space as an extra room. Near the pool is a seating area with Bistro chairs from Fermob.

Birth of the Cool: California Art, Design, and Culture at Midcentury, $50

For Kevin Murphy's Young.Again, the designers cut the corners of the eggplant bottle to give the form a jewel-like surface.

Two layers of aluminum woven-coil drapes hang outside the large, south-facing windows above the living area.

Cool Spaces at the Kauffman Center The first episode on performance spaces, which is rolling out on network across the country explored Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and Barclays Center with the architects and designers.

Cool Spaces at the Disney Center “With our show, you can see the place on television, then actually go there,” says Stephen Chung, host of Cool Space. “Buildings aren’t the stars, it’s about the people.”

Cool Spaces at the Seattle Library Chung, who has taught design at RISD and Yale, started the project seven years ago, when a recession and the subsequent struggles of many architecture firms made him consider how to make the work of architects more relevant. While there were whole networks devoted to homes and interior design, there wasn’t a place on television to discuss great public spaces. In each episode, Cool Spaces focuses on a particular building type, such as libraries or stadiums, and breaks down three examples.

Through their blog, Vimeo, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook feeds, the editors at Cool Hunting create mini-documentaries and daily updates that highlight well-designed and innovative movements in design, technology, travel, food, and style.

Designed for an artist and entrepreneur client, this guest house features lots of light, access to the outdoors, and an industrial vibe.

Fletcher House by Hall & Mackenzie (1964)

The Twist Again fruit bowl that Decq designed for Alessi is cut from a single piece of sheet metal.

The central courtyard helps cool the house.

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Cool Spaces Speaks with Steven Holl With Cool Spaces, a new public television series that profiles the process and personalities behind contemporary public architecture, Chung takes viewers behind the scenes at spaces like the the Seattle Public Library and the Barnes Foundation, while analyzing the work of masters such as Koolhaas with a more approachable, yet investigative tone. It’s all a means to help educate the public about the importance of public spaces. “We as architects weren’t communicating why it was important,” he says. “I was going to write a white paper, and thought, who’s going to read that? I sort of said I’ll do a TV show on a lark.”

Brooklyn bar Tørst is a wood-lined space with custom, textured wall paneling and communal seating. Beer is served from a Carrara marble-backed tap.

The roof features a cool roof, which reflects heat back to the sky rather than having it absorbed into the house, and 26 solar panels that often cause the meter to roll backward.

The addition, which has cypress paneling and a metal roof, is united with the renovated 1920s bungalow via a glass pavilion.

Though the mild climate allows for alfresco meals year-round, an outdoor fireplace adds warmth on cool evenings. Charred wood paneling can be seen along the wall.

Former Factory Fuses Japanese and Scandinavian Cool (Tokyo, Japan) The colorful results of a designer’s project to renovate a tableware factory, this multi-floored loft includes a kitchen/showroom that should be center stage for it simple but striking use of patterned fabric. Even better, the view from the street-level glass window—anybody strolling through Ginza can see that you did pick the coolest spot to stay in Tokyo. Listing at Specious Apartment in Ginza

New Heath Ceramics glazes for the Heath Vase collection, from left: Cool Lava, Lemongrass, Tangerine, and Indigo.

Here's the famed Gherkin! Rather cool, that.

The white cedar board paneling in the interiors mimics the exterior; the ones inside are bleached for a lighter finish. Fixed glass picture windows are by Town & Country Glass. Unalam and JIG Design Build fabricated the staircase with ash risers on a single stringer, a Gray Organschi hallmark.

Wood paneling wraps the interior of a trapezoidal cabin.

Here's a cool detail in one of the outdoor picnic tables.

Designed by Norm Architects for Menu, the Steel Table Clock is a celebration of materiality, color, and simplicity. Paring down the clock to its most necessary elements, the designers took the expected silhouette of a wall clock and folded it to create a clock that can rest on a flat surface. The clock is available in four colors, all of which were chosen for their connection to the Scandinavian climate. Powder-coated for a smooth finish, the clock is unobtrusive, and was designed to be an enduring, timeless addition to a home. Also available in a wall clock.

Available to rent on Airbnb, the two-bedroom prefab house as a prototype for their pre-engineered IT House series and made an appearance in Dwell Magazine’s November 2008 issue.