In Boulder's aptly named Wonderland Hill neighborhood, deer and even mountain lions occasionally come down from the woods to scout the domestic scene, but the most common wildlife sighting on the tree-lined streets is a profusion of toddlers in off-road strollers. To make space for the local baby boom, many older one-story homes have had their pops topped. When Rob Pyatt and Heather Kahn were ready to expand on their 900 square feet, however, their foundation couldn't support a second floor, so Pyatt, an architecture student with a green building background, devised an alternative. His box-shaped addition is the modern kid on the block, with distinctive corrugated-metal and wide-plank cladding. Behind the facade, uncommon materials share a common story with the neighborhood: Of design decisions driven by a desire to keep the next generation—and the planet—healthy and safe.
Andy and Regina Rihn lean on their other blue-clad affordable design, a 1958 AMC Rambler Super station wagon, in front of their house in Austin, Texas.
The Armadillo is parked on a 1,000-square-foot lot that gives the couple ample outdoor space.
The kitchen cabinets were made with cabinet boxes set into framing, then a primed drywall shell covered with a textural Roman Clay finish, and sealed.
In turning the second level of the garage behind their duplex into a multifunctional workspace without breaking the bank, Kyle Huberty relied on friends, family, and the community at large.
The original house on the lot was a 1920s bungalow that she gutted and expanded in 2002.
Nashville resident Kelli Hix added a 500-square-foot guest apartment onto the back of her 1930s bungalow.
A fun (and free) way to explore Austin is through visiting the many murals that decorate its buildings.
Originally dating to the 1970s, Hotel Carlota was revamped by JSa Arquitectura and completed in 2015. As part of the renovation, a pool became the focal point of the courtyard, and its modernized, streamlined design makes a dramatic statement.
Street facing elevation
Alts Design Office replaced all the old insulation materials and moved the living room from the first floor to the second floor.
Livingroom
Cornuelle, who’s from Hawaii, chose both older and contemporary Hawaiian art for the walls.
The expansive windows offer unparalleled views of La Plata peak while also providing lots of natural light to the living room and kitchen.
New sliding doors from Marvin enable the family to seamlessly move between the indoors and the refurbished patio.
Shands paired maple wood kitchen cabinets with veined marble countertops to provide character to the space without overwhelming it. "These materials, complemented by the open shelves with stacked ceramics, are key to the experience," she says. Sub-Zero undercounter refrigerators and freezer opened the kitchen up to allow for more counter space.
Though this 2,808-square-foot home in Lewes, East Sussex, England, used to be an old workshop, Sandy Rendel Architects transformed it into a beautiful home with a building shell that was made of SIPS (structured insulated panels), and prefabricated offsite.
The kitchen nook with a cafe table and mid-century modern chairs offer a bright and peaceful setting for meals.
Conveniently located in their backyard, the office allows the couple to run their practice while staying close to their kids.
The new, attached ADU is rented out as a passive source of income that is helping Amanda finance the project.
Karen and Brian’s home is a vibrant new addition to a block of midcentury bungalows in Vancouver, British Columbia. One of the volumes is clad in untreated tongue-and-groove Western red cedar. The other is covered in multicolored cedar shakes, which are skewed at an angle that aligns with the slope of the roof. Architect Clinton Cuddington of Measured Architecture worked with the owners to fine-tune the unconventional pattern and color palette. Concrete from the building that formerly occupied the site was repurposed for the stoop.
Busick refreshed the house’s east-facing façade by painting the trim a bold black that echoes the steel addition at the rear.
The principal bathroom opens up directly to the backyard.
The kitchen layout was reconfigured so that the focus is on the view—the wall of windows, which look out on the ocean, is now underscored by one long, uncluttered counter. There, the faucet is Delta and the dishwasher is Bosch. The range stayed in nearly the same spot, and the opposite wall has been thickened with storage and the refrigerator column. Both the refrigerator and range are by Bertazzoni.
The Perch at sunset.
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