Open-Plan Renovations

This modern and space-efficient family home kept the original exposed wooden rafters and grid of windows to open up the living room. Photo by: Daniel Hennessy

The couple snapped up a 2,600-square-foot late-18th-century flat, which they’ve since filled with vintage finds and Hayon’s own designs and prototypes.

Barbara Hill's Dancehall/House in Marfa, Texas September 14, 2010 Misty Keasler

The couple opted for a smaller kitchen without fussy appliances and a larger dining area. They concentrated on achieving a high-quality space through carefully chosen furnishings, including the Cross Extension table in wenge, a Cherner side chair, and the LEM Piston stools, all from Design Within Reach.

Their dining room and sitting area used to be an uninsulated greenhouse; now it’s a light-filled space where the family gathers for meals at a weathered table and Åsa curls up on two custom daybeds, designed by Bjerre-Poulsen, to read and look at the garden.

Architect Lukáš Kordík gave his own 516-square-foot flat in Bratislava a modern makeover. For just a little more than $23,000, he transformed his home from a thicket of small rooms into a continuous, light-filled abode. Busting through a few walls took up much of the scant budget, but Kordík—who works for the Bratislava firm Gut Gut—also managed to redo the electrical, pipes, sewage, and heating while imbuing the place with a hip, old-meets-new vibe.