Visitors learn about energy and water conservation as they climb outdoor staircases that lead from the forest floor to the 125-foot-high rooftop rising above the leaf canopy.

The penthouse kitchen opens up to a two-story living room. Expansive glazing frames a city view, while the open space offers room for entertaining and access to private terrace.

This bookshelf and storage credenza are part of the "Modern" collection.

Ziger/Snead Architects constructed this ode to rowing in rural Virginia for a Baltimore couple who share a love of sculling. “Everywhere in the house you can see the moment where land meets water,” says Douglas Bothner, an associate at the firm.

The Wilson’s living and dining rooms are outfitted with furniture from B&B Italia, Fritz Hansen, Modernica, and Knoll.

Virginia State Capitol, Richmond, Virginia (1788) Designed by Thomas Jefferson, and constructed while he was Minister to France, the Virginia State Capitol underscored Jefferson's permanent repudiation of the monarchy (as well as the prevailing Colonial architecture he loathed). Its form ignited the American tradition of modeling government buildings on Roman and Greek temples.

A view of the four-story, limestone-encased bulkhead atop the new luxury tower at 611 West 56th Street in New York City. The glass-and-stone facade is designed as an elegantly simple grid to complement the building's slender profile.

Architects Anne Marie Lubrano and Lea Ciavarra limited the material selection in their renovation of a town house dating from 1899. The powder room on the first floor is located in a former waiting area (the previous resident used the level for his dental practice). It features a custom Alabastro marble sink and fixtures by California Faucets. The architects kept the original marble fireplace, paying homage to the structure’s history. Benjamin Moore’s Super White paint was applied to the ceiling and the White Dove hue to the walls. "Positioning the faucets on the side wall emphasizes the horizontal," Lubrano says. "Wall-mounted fixtures feel less grounded and materials can continue uninterrupted below. We wanted the spaces to feel light, spacious and light-filled."

Located on a sloped wooded site, the 7,500-square-foot Bridge House encompasses two stories and a finished basement. The multigenerational abode by Höweler + Yoon Architecture embraces its sylvan setting through floor-to-ceiling glass walls and generously sized terraces on the first and second stories.

Furnishings inside the home reflect a minimalist sensibility. A Chiva Functional coffee table by BoConcept, a Monti sofa by Dellarobbia, and Hans Wegner Shell chairs by Carl Hansen & Søn outfit the living room.

Equipped with an LG refrigerator and Thermador wall oven, the eat-in kitchen also boasts custom cabinets faced with an oak veneer and a natural stone island.

The kids’ bedrooms are located on the second story. Karis’s room is furnished with a Fatboy beanbag chair.

Large family gatherings are common so the dining table by Moon Custom Millwork comfortably seats 12; it’s made from wood that resident Sam Chung salvaged himself.

Taliesin West, 1939.

While the office furniture industry in the United States amounted to close to 10 billion dollars in 2014, it's safe to say that there's room to improve on the standard-issue tables and task chairs on the market. West Elm, in collaboration with Inscape, released a new collection that brings a residential sensibility into the contract market.

Even a small patio can have a monumental effect. A green wall in this kitchen patio also brings views to the higher parts of the slender town house, located in the West Village in New York. The counter and floor, clad in gray honed slate, and the teak-clad walls and bench complement the greenery.

This West Village townhouse integrates the interiors with the outdoor landscape courtesy of floor-to-ceiling windows draped in sheer curtains, which pick up on the hues both inside and out.

Located on the house’s lower level, the bedroom is bright but soothing. The bed is flanked by custom side tables and covered with a red West Elm duvet.

The collection includes three lines that are inspired by the company's offerings and include office-specific furnishings that complement the existing pieces. "Our design team curated the best of the diverse west elm aesthetic," says Jeff Hannoosh, director of design at West Elm. "Our Mid-century Collection marries classic forms with attention to detail, in warm walnut tones accented with bronze. The Modern Collection features durable white laminate surfaces with pecan-finished ash. The Industrial Collection brings utilitarian workshop style to modern offices, pairing warm oak finish finishes with airy steel frames."

"Smart adaptable design encourages creativity, communication, teamwork and productivity," Hannoosh says."

While the aesthetic skews residential, the products needed to perform in a high-traffic setting. Fabrics from Designtex offer durability with a contemporary look.

Designer Mark Jupiter worked with the in-house team to create the workstations. This one is part of the Mid-Century collection and features bronze hardware, walnut veneers, and fabric-covered tack boards. Most of the line will be manufactured in the USA.

The workstations feature integrated power. Visit westelmworkspace.com for more information.

"Our own corporate culture was our starting point and Inscape brings to the partnership a ton of knowledge about workspace design and how it has evolved," Hanoosh says. "We envisioned what we’d want for a variety of environments, from livable offices to communal conference rooms to social spaces with all the comforts of home."

Wiedemann strongly believes that a window is the threshold between inside and outside, and that it’s important to utilize a selection that emphasizes an open connection with your surroundings—particularly for an artist who depends on natural light. He chose to use Kolbe Windows & Doors' VistaLuxe® Collection, which has clean, narrow site lines that seem to disappear.

Tombolo Bath Caddy: Every bath caddy should be designed to hold two glasses of wine and a small towel to help keep your favorite novel dry. Price upon request.

For Wiedemann and Sweeney (pictured here), it was all about the composition of materials. They incorporated a mix of concrete, steel, glass, and wood in a way that also spoke to Loraine’s work as an artist.

Overton's installation has an interactive aspect to it, as the visitors can talk back and forth through the pipe. Image courtesy of Storm King Art Center.

Durable hardwood is transformed into the fluid profile of our Lowell round extension table, all through the skill of West Virginia woodworkers.

Inside the study, or the West Room, was used for Morgan's personal business. The velvet-covered furnishings were reupholstered during the renovation.

An aluminum water-jet cut fence divides separates the house from its neighbors."My favorite part of the courtyard," says Höweler. He and Meejin took one sheet of metal and cut it down the middle in a zig-zag pattern. "It produces a 'screen' look and creates beautiful shadows. I like that it is materially efficient—there is zero waste of material since both sides of the sheet are used."

The fireplace surround and staircase are fabricated from steel with a clear coat. Enclosed with glass on two sides, the space allows nature to flow inside.

The Lost Whiskey Cabin stands on a rocky bluff overlooking Virginia's countryside.

Organized east to west, the steel screen varies in density and supports an angled roof, providing shade without blocking the breeze. Students crafted the furniture out of white oak from a local sawmill, and utilized prefab construction methods to cut costs and speed up the project to meet their tight deadline. “It’s a great site on the side of a mountain in Appalachia looking out into this valley,” says Myers. "There’s all this context, but at the same time, it’s an open field, so there’s no context. We got to respond to how the site is being used.”