Alysta

Completed on a budget of $35,000, this 355-square-foot apartment has been designed with young professionals in mind. Nestled in a 12-story residential tower, the tiny one-bedroom apartment has been revamped by local design practice Phoebe Sayswow Architects to display how small-scale living can be effortlessly chic.

The New Project Group renovated a cramped, uninviting space on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The company gave the 400-square-foot apartment a gut renovation, with a new kitchen and bathroom designed for efficiency. A parallelogram-shaped window pane, rescued from an architectural salvage yard, was outfitted with steel edges and casters, and repurposed as a coffee table.

"In the kitchen, we changed the layout," Davison says. "It was a galley kitchen, extending lengthways into the room. We spun it back along the back wall. The tiles are Moroccan concrete tiles that came from a supplier here in Manhattan. The idea was to inject some color and playfulness into the space with the blue cabinetry." Photo by Alan Gastelum.

A geographic lime-green tile pattern was incorporated into the bathroom to complement the sink, which was found in an architectural salvage yard and retains its original color. Photo by Alan Gastelum.

A lesson in efficiency, this flexible, 237-square-foot apartment in Slovakia uses custom-made storage and furniture to its full advantage.In Trnava, Slovakia, a young couple enlist local studio Minimalic to renovate a small space with a budget of €15,000, or about $17,400. The emphasis lies on simple, natural materials that are easy to clean: poured concrete floors that are painted white, natural oak veneer wardrobes, cement-bonded particle board, and a Cor-Ten steel entry door and shower.

The daybed mattress is from Sleeping Duck and the duvet cover is by KAS.

A sleek balcony lends the building's upper level a jolt of boldness.

The balcony's built-in stools are the perfect perch for taking in views of the village and sea.

Monica and Antony's cat feels right at home in their new accommodations.

Glazed ceramic tile on the dining bar juxtaposes with ceramic tile with a matte finish on the wall that separates the kitchen from the dining and living areas.

The roof is made from 100% recycled, post-consumer steel.

The shower features Fireclay Tile in Blue Satin—a pop of pastel amidst the otherwise earthy palette.

Upstairs, a light blue sectional from Castlery adds extra seating for visiting friends and family.

The lofted bedroom is bookended by windows overlooking Ponderosa pines

Morsø

The open-concept living area, a benefit of the Quonset-design, includes velvet chairs from CB2.

Marie Saldivar’s experimental metal-clad dwelling is the perfect place to host family—and proof of concept for her new prefab company.

The white cedar exterior is rot- and insect-resistant, and has a beautiful silvery finish that will continue to patina over time.

A glass entry connects "Cabin 1" and "Cabin 2", creating a sunny space in between.

Just past sunrise at Betasso Overlook.

The screened porch is right off the living spaces, and serves as a family hub, especially for meals and entertaining. “That was something that we specifically wanted: a screened porch that could protect us from the mosquitoes, which are atrocious in the Gulf South at certain times of the year,” says Charlie. “Just being able to open up the French doors and play music and have food on the table – it created a great entertaining space that keeps you close to the house but has its own tranquil separation.” Joshi-Gupta outfitted the room with a concrete table and transparent outdoor chairs.

Pablo designed his family’s home to disrupt as little of the landscape as possible.

When Rui first bought the house, part of the ceiling had fallen down, so it was impossible to even go upstairs. He knocked down the wall separating the kitchen and dining/living room and created one large living space that also incorporates the striking green-and-black staircase.

Both families share the rooftop. It includes two terraces and a kitchen for communal meals and entertaining when the weather permits. On the upper terrace, guests can look out across the skyline and get a glimpse of Ghent’s three famed medieval towers on the horizon.

The Hammer House in Seattle is clad in weathered steel panels, which provide privacy from the busy street. Natural light enters from a glass-walled bay directly behind the opaque wall. Photo by: Nic Lehoux

The defining feature of this lakeside cabin in northern Idaho is a 30-by-20-foot window wall that opens the living area to the surrounding lake and forest. Concrete blocks, steel, and plywood make up the simple palette of materials.

At just 350 square feet, this remote cabin with a view for the Sol Duc River sits on stilts to protect it from flooding and the dampness of the northwestern rainforest. Its shutters can be operated manually by custom steel rods.

French doors lead to a backyard brick patio that offers the feeling of generous privacy.

A blue checkered Moroccan rug amps up the visual interest in the space, along with a new yellow Togo couch and Herman Miller coffee table. Switching out the mullioned windows for new tilt-and-turn windows from Semko help the space feel larger and increase energy efficiency.