After: The couple renovated Casa Terrosa for just $46,280, including labor, in a span of seven months.
When OSSO Architecture first began renovating this loft in a Brooklyn paper factory, it hadn’t been touched since the 1980s. Owner Malik Ashiru says the project achieved his goal of “a big, open space where people could come in and not feel cramped.” The formerly constrained spaces in the 1,400-square-foot, two-story apartment have been reconfigured into an open-plan living space with an office on the first floor and a loft guest bedroom above. On the second floor, the primary bedroom and bath open up to a rooftop terrace. Level changes delineate different spaces in the open-plan first floor, which is stylishly furnished with Ashiru’s midcentury furniture and artwork collected from his travels around the world.
The structure's white stucco second story nods to the architecture of traditional tree houses and is used as sleeping quarters for the owner’s children. The leaves of the central oak tree can be seen peaking out above the façade.
Lisbeth Juul and Laust Nørgaard drew upon their years of experience living on the water to design and build an 860-square-foot floating home in Copenhagen Harbor. The home’s minimal form and furnishings reflect the residents’ desire to downsize following three years on land.
Cabin at the von Trapp resort
A red gym locker, repurposed as storage, is a whimsical touch in the bedroom.
While addressing plumbing problems, the residents took time to spruce up the bathrooms, adding new tile, fixtures, and, in one, a cheery yellow cabinet.
Lori Andrew and Ken Corner continue to add furniture to their Calgary, Alberta, home. The black leather Montauk sofa was the first piece Lori ever bought; the orange Pierre Paulin Tulip lounge chair was a birthday gift to Ken.
Guests can buy fresh cheese, milk, and eggs from the neighbors.
The room can easily adapt to become a study, lounge, or entertainment space.
Upstairs, a wooden slatted wall doubles as a bookshelf.
The kitchen and dining room enjoy panoramic mountain views. Local pine was hand-hewn for the flooring, windows, doors, and furniture throughout the residence.
The loggia-inspired balcony, a fixture of the region's architecture, protects guests from harsh winds.
Only local materials were used to build the chalet, including the larch wood cladding of the exterior, to reinforce the connection between indoors and outdoors.