Here's what you need to know before undergoing a building project with a contractor but no architect.

An office nook and library can participate in the open plan or disappear behind pocket doors.

Pricing is not yet available for ENSAMBLE, but a single board of cholguán retails for about $5. By keeping assembly simply and using glue to join the system, the Andes House hopes to make it a cost-effective solution for the office and beyond.

“Try to group uses and find solutions that solve multiple problems,” Borowski counsels. As an example, Pozner cites the idea of having the loft stairs double as clothing drawers. Though he eschewed a handrail, preferring a cleaner look, Pozner says that the slipperiness of the stairs “remains a work in progress. We had grooves, but they hurt my feet.” The pair are now looking into heavy-duty felt treads.

The stepping stone, like the skylight, was inspired by zen architecture. “In most traditional wooden houses and temples in Japan, the house is lifted above the garden, and the transition is always marked by a sculptural stepping stone,” says Bjerre-Poulsen. “We used the same principle between the old house and the addition.”

The second-floor office is housed inside a rounded rectangle of concrete that the architect inserted on top of the old farmhouse.

A familiar scene in the Benoit home: Peter paints at the Steelcase desk—"I do all my work here," he says—while Ando sits nearby, waiting for attention.

Whether you’re battling noise or are short on space, these guides can turn your office into a distraction-free zone.

MODERN TAKE ON A TRADITIONAL FARMHOUSE IN MISSOURI Thanks to Matthew Hufft, their envelope-pushing architect and longtime friend, Hannah and Paul Catlett have a new home in southwestern Missouri that’s a fresh, unconventional take on the traditional farmhouse. The homeowners call the house Porch House after it's majestic wraparound porch. photos by: Joe Pugliese

By creating a desk out of roof beams, this home office perfectly integrates into an open-plan renovation of a Northern Italian farmhouse.

The office houses the letter “U" as well as cameras.

Working is much more pleasant when you have natural light to brighten up your space. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a window, then invest in some stylish lighting.

Regain focus and boost your productivity—here, we walk you through seven steps to soundproofing your home office.

The study features floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that bring the outdoors in. Space-saving custom walnut desks are accented by a Pixo Optical LED Table Lamp, an AJ table lamp, and a 1958 Eames Management Chair.

Agustín Hernandez's home office.

The playroom later became Xenia’s office.

The abstract geometry of the exterior allows for unique openings and this sklylight, which provides natural light to the staff throughout the day. "One of my ambitions is to place openings, windows, and roof lights strategically, so you get a sense of the time of day and the weather," says Brooks.

Near the room’s curving wall, a Verner Panton chair joins a K2 B console table by Tecta, topped by a vintage mirror by Robert Welch. The wall light is from Flos. “If I had more space, I’d just fill it with more stuff,” says Pearce.

In most of the loft, the original wood flooring and the herringbone pattern of the vaulted brick ceiling have been carefully preserved.

An installation by Willem Cole hangs in the gallery, which leads to an open stairway to the office and private bedrooms upstairs.

The couple's firm specializes in illustration and photography for the advertising industry. The framed art is by Anthony Burrill and the wall calendar is the work of Crispin Finn. The Ikea office table is ringed by Fritz Hansen Butterfly Chairs and Herman Miller Aeron Chairs. The lighting is by Artemide.

Designed by Jagoda, the door swings open to fit in front of a bookshelf.

Everything from lighting to curtains to video and audio can be controlled from a smartphone, enhancing the loft’s sense of effortless elegance.

Reeve's partner, Michela Meazza, uses built-in closets for her home office. The imposing gunmetal gray doors can simply be swung shut at the end of a long day's work.

Hachigian and Day in the living room/screening room, which opens onto a terrace above a reconstructed garage. The living-room table with a resin-and-acrylic top was designed by Hachigian’s brother, Garo.

Lawrence Weiner sits at his daylit desk. The bare walls are perfect for tacking up new projects, and the steel ductwork gives the space an industrious feel.

A second bedroom was converted into a home office/dining room. A Dieter Rams 606 Universal Shelving System (below and opposite) lines the wall. The “Ziggy Diamond” wallpaper (behind the surreal Erle Loran painting) comes from Flavor Paper, a New Orleans firm that prints wall coverings to order, and the ingenious folding table is by Swedish designer Bruno Matthson.

The top container contains Wardell's office—and a "napping nook" above that.

In the dining room, a Smoke chair by Marten Baas for Moooi keeps company with a glass-and-ceramic vase by Hella Jongerius and a mirrored steel painting by artist Michelangelo Pistoletto.

The interior design is characterized by restraint. Wood complements leather and concrete for a modern, natural-looking building that blend together with its lush surroundings.

Stripping paint to reveal the beautiful riveting and aluminum was one the hardest but most rewarding tasks. To me, revealing the structure and construction honors the original craftsmanship that went into this trailer.

“At first we thought we might not need that much space, but then we started thinking long term. We look at this house as the home of our lifetime.” —Guido Chiavelli