2nd home

The home’s three low-lying rooflines subtly emerge from the landscape.

6 Prefab Companies Ready to Build Your New Backyard Office: These prefab ADUs are the perfect solution for those in need of a separate home office.

Upon purchasing a 10-acre plot surrounded by a cluster of boulders, a couple wrote a handwritten letter to architect Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, which resulted in the 5,000-square-foot High Desert House on the edge of Joshua Tree National Park. Kellog spent five years designing a home that would settle into the landscape, “crouching on the rocks, maybe like an animal asleep.” The house features 26 freestanding concrete columns reminiscent of rib bones, and a glass ceiling that fills the home with daylight and views of the stars at night.

Located at 1811 Bel Air Road, Case Study House #16 was designed by Craig Ellwood in 1953. The residence has been meticulously maintained over the years by its two owners, and today it’s the only surviving Case Study design by Ellwood.

Throughout the home, the floors were replaced with light hardwood to make the space feel more modern and open. Baer brought in a MBH Sectional in White Linen and a Hotel Collection metal-and-stone coffee table alongside the Sams International Atlas Woolen Rug. In this space, the Raskinds added a touch of Hollywood glamour with the red velvet midcentury chairs. They finished off the look by painting the original fireplace with Cover of Night by Dunn Edwards and added hexagonal tiles at the base.

The Casita 850 modular model emphasizes indoor/outdoor living with a flexible two-bedroom and one-bath layout.

Dubbed Small But Fine, a student-built 280-square-foot cabin in Finland connects with the outdoors and features a minimal footprint. Not pictured is a detached outhouse with a composting toilet.

The resort was envisioned as a base for adventures around the island, of which there are many. Guests can enjoy outdoor activities like diving, kayaking, fishing, mountaineering or take it easy and relax in the sauna, hot water bath, and other social gathering areas.

Upon receiving this 98-square-foot Caravel from Ohio, the couple demolished the interior in a few days. "We had two good friends visiting, and the four of us picked up the entire shell and moved it off the frame," says Oliver. "It was such a rush and so empowering to do that as a team of women." The silver shell had to be removed to execute a full chassis repair and replacement by a certified welder.

With a fire pit, built-in barbecue, outdoor shower, as well as a picnic area, and hammocks, the backyard is an idyllic setting to enjoy the area's captivating sunsets and star-filled skies.

Slatted Tzalama wood screens provide privacy and light control as well as a pop of contrast against the concrete structure.

The 753-square-foot retreat has two bedrooms and a bath, and takes advantage of its rocky site.

To further the home's indoor/outdoor connection, the architects created an expansive shaded terrace at the rear of the property, which is juxtaposed with the backyard pool.

A wall covered in graphite-colored Ann Sacks tile runs from the kitchen out to the covered porch. Similarly, the sheetrock ceiling and the concrete flooring are extended from inside to outside—a cost-saving measure that provides visual continuity. The Hot Mesh outdoor dining chairs are by Blu Dot.

Designed by architect Francis E. Leighton, the 604-square-foot space known as the Hi House is encompassed with glass and surrounded by thick bishop pines. Surrounded by the Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay State Park, the five-acre estate is a secluded, tranquil sanctuary. The property is located just minutes away from the Pacific Ocean, and it's close to tons of hiking trails.